LJWorld Reader blogs

I am guilty of this: skipping breakfast.

Instead of drinking a fruit smoothie or having a piece of toast, I use Diet Coke or coffee to kick-start my day.

If I were a mom, I would be setting a terrible example.

Research shows that children of breakfast-skipping parents are much more likely to skip it themselves, and that's not healthy.

According to Anne Hytrek, outpatient educator with the Providence Diabetes Center in Kansas City, Kan., the American Dietetic Association reports as many as 40 percent of girls and 32 percent of boys skip breakfast. These children begin the day low on fuel, a problem that can affect their energy level and ability to focus on school work throughout the day.

On the other side, studies have shown that children who eat breakfast have better math grades and reading scores, better attention spans, visit the school nurse less often, keep their weight under control and have fewer stomach aches.

So what can you do to make sure your child starts the school year, and every day, off right?

"You can set a good example for your children by eating a balanced breakfast yourself," Hytrek advised. "Breakfast is a great meal to enjoy as a family, before everyone heads out the door and gets overwhelmed by the day's activities."

Times change

I remember those days as a kid. My mother fixed big breakfasts as my younger brother and sister and I got ready for school. Then, we would sit down and enjoy the meal as a family. As we grew older and my mom went back to work, we ate Pop-Tarts, doughnuts or an apple - anything we could quickly eat or grab on our way out the door.

Then, I headed to college where breakfast became some sort of a caffeine concoction, and that, unfortunately, hasn't changed.

If you're in a rut like me, Hytrek recommended these easy, nutritious options to help kick start the day:

¢ Ready-to eat cereal with fruit and milk or oatmeal (avoid sugary cereals).

¢ Whole grain fruit-filled breakfast bar and yogurt.

¢ Bagel with cheese.

¢ Whole grain toasted waffles or pancakes topped with fruit and yogurt.

¢ Fruit smoothie (fruit and milk whirled in a blender).

¢ Peanut butter on whole-wheat toast.

¢ Hard-boiled egg.

Breakfast support

Maybe, you have even better ideas. If not, here are some helpful links:

¢ Traditional and creative ideas for kids..

¢ Best breakfast bets for all ages..

¢ How to pick the best cereal..

¢ Recipes to help fuel the morning..

Welcome to Health beat

As part of this blog, I will cover topics that involve health and environmental issues. I plan to offer tips, quizzes and how-to videos. I also hope this creates discussion in our community about health care.

I want to start a "Health Question of the Week" feature. Oftentimes, people are too embarrassed to ask a health question or don't know where to turn. If you have a question or story idea, e-mail me.