Children may eat fewer calories throughout the day if their first meal of the day is low in glycaemic index (GI). Glycaemic index refers to the effects a particular carbohydrate-rich food has on blood sugar levels. High-GI foods, like white bread and potatoes, tend to spur a quick surge in blood sugar, while low-GI foods, such as lentils, soyabeans, yoghurt and many high-fibre grains, create a more gradual increase in blood sugar. Some studies have suggested that diets rich in high-GI foods can contribute to weight gain, diabetes and heart disease. Other studies, though not all, have found that limiting such foods may aid weight control. To study the effect of low-GI food on children's health further, reserachers from the Oxford Brookes University in the UK studied 38 British children between the ages of 8 and 11 years who were given high-GI and low-GI breakfasts on different days of the week. Low-GI breakfasts in this study included choices like cooked oatmeal, all-bran cereal, and soya or linseed breads with low-sugar jams. High-GI fare included shredded wheat cereals and wheat bread. It was found that on days when the children ate a low-GI breakfast, they consumed an average of 60 fewer calories over the rest of the day. The theory is that the children felt fuller, for a longer period, after a low-GI breakfast. The difference in daily calorie intake may seem modest, but over time it could matter in a child's risk of becoming overweight. A low-GI breakfast could offer parents a simple and practical way to reduce their children's long-term calorie intake, and thus lower their risk of becoming overweight or obese. Apart from the low-GI choices included in the study, other choices might include oat bran cereal, whole-grain pumpernickel bread, and fruits such as apples, mango and plums. In general, high-fibre, whole foods have a lower GI than more-processed carbohydrates like white bread. Although it is not confirmed that low-GI eating lowers children's risk of becoming overweight, there is also no harm in giving children low-GI breakfast foods over more sugary, processed options.
British Journal of Nutrition,
September 2007