Breakfast fuels decision-making for workers

Ros Taylor (pictured), a chartered clinical psychologist, executive coach and author, analysed the findings of an online survey of 4,166 UK adults aged 18 and over, focusing on people's leadership style and their breakfast habits for this Breakfast Week. Research suggests that around 14% of workers start their day on an empty stomach. Taylor commented: "Business leaders often fall into the 'rational' personality style…they work in a logical, analytical way by using their minds to make decisions so by skipping breakfast, they are depriving their brains of the 'fuel' needed to aid concentration and mental performance." Studies also show that adults who eat a breakfast like porridge that releases energy slowly, have improved memory function later in the morning, compared to those that ate a high sugar breakfast or have no breakfast at all. Children who also skip breakfast in the morning perform less well in problem solving tasks, verbal fluency, creativity and the ability to recall newly acquired facts are similarly affected. Some 27% of those questioned in a previous survey used the lack of time as an excuse for missing breakfast. Findings also shows that 37% of breakfast skippers do not eat until midmorning, and 35% wait until lunch time to eat. The benefits of breakfast can mean that those who eat it everyday are less depressed and less emotionally distressed, compared to those who don't. Jane Griffin, Home-Grown Cereals Authority Nutritionist, describes how "the worst breakfast is no breakfast." Weblink: www.farmhousebreakfast.com Weblink: www.farmhousebreakfast.com