Influence of breakfast on cognitive performance, appetite and mood in healthy young adults

The consumption of glucose or a carbohydrate-rich food has been associated with the facilitation of verbal short-term, spatial and long-term memory performance. The present study evaluated the effects of two different equi-caloric (300 kcal) breakfasts, and the omission of breakfast, on cognitive performance, mood and appetite across the morning. Participants (N=32) were non-smoking, unrestrained eaters between 18 and 22 years with normal body mass index (mean=22.2 kg/m2). Participants attended three test mornings with a week between each session. Memory, attention and reaction time was assessed before breakfast, shortly after breakfast and later in the morning. Subjective ratings of appetite and mood and measurements of blood glucose levels were taken periodically throughout the morning. The non-cereal breakfast produced a smaller increase in blood glucose which was sustained for longer compared to the cereal breakfast. The consumption of breakfast produced attenuation in the decline of cognitive performance, satiety and mood observed in the breakfast omission condition. In addition, short-term and delayed verbal memory was significantly enhanced following the non-cereal breakfast relative to the cereal breakfast. The non-cereal breakfast also heightened subjective ratings of mood in comparison to the cereal breakfast.