BREAKFAST TIMES • www.breakfastisbest.eu

Report shows European governments are waking up to the importance of breakfast in public health – but more progress must still be made in many European countries

Brussels, 6 December 2017

A first-of-a-kind report, released today, shows that half of EU governments surveyed fail to fully understand and promote the importance of breakfast in public health. Looking at 16 countries, the Breakfast is Best (BIB) coalition teamed up with nutrition and behaviour expert Professor Louise Dye of the University of Leeds (UK) and found that 8 governments fell short on at least one of the report's four criteria measuring how well governments promote the consumption of breakfast as a public health issue. This clearly shows Europe’s governments need to do more to ensure Europeans understand how crucial breakfast is.




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Breakfast is Best launches 70-page report – The Importance of Breakfast in Europe: A Review of National Policies and Health Campaigns

Today on the 6th of December 2017 Breakfast is Best launches its comprehensive report, The Importance of Breakfast in Europe: A Review of National Policies and Health Campaigns on the occasion of a EURACTIV Stakeholder Workshop entitled “Promotion of healthy diets in the EU: What role for breakfast?”.




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Calling for Action from Europe’s leaders to promote the health benefits of breakfast on the occasion of World Diabetes Day

13 November 2015, Brussels – On the occasion of World Diabetes Day on 14 November, the Breakfast is Best (BIB) coalition – representatives of Europe’s doctors, dietitians and the European breakfast cereal industry (CEEREAL) – relaunches its ‘Call to Action’ urging Europe’s decision-makers to take the necessary steps to promote breakfast as part of a healthy lifestyle.




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Breakfast is Best stands behind Food Revolution Day

15 May 2015, Brussels – The Breakfast Is Best initiative fully supports the Food Revolution Day movement launched by Jamie Oliver, world-renowned chef and campaigner, to make practical food education compulsory for children in schools across the world.




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4th European Breakfast Day announces upcoming study on the importance of breakfast

24 April 2015, Brussels – A balanced and healthy diet, including regular breakfast consumption, is key to combating chronic diseases and adopting healthier lifestyles.


1 Inchley J et al., eds. Growing up unequal: gender and socioeconomic differences in young people’s health and well-being. Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study: international report from the 2013/2014 survey. Copenhagen, WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2016 (Health Policy for Children and Adolescents, No. 7). Available from:
http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/303438/HSBC-No.7-Growing-up-unequal-Full-Report.pdf.

Marking the fourth European Breakfast Day, the ‘Breakfast is Best’ coalition announces the imminent launch of a Breakfast is Best report provisionally entitled ‘The Benefits of Breakfast: European Consumption Guidelines’.




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Breakfast is Best holds ‘Go Blue for Breakfast’ Twitter Hour chat in support of World Diabetes Day

17 November 2014, Brussels – On the occasion of this year’s World Diabetes Day (14 November 2014), and its theme of ‘Going Blue for Breakfast’, the Breakfast is Best Campaign held a highly successful Twitter Hour chat with Duane Mellor and Azmina Govindji. The chat was joined by over 60 key representatives of the health and nutrition field and followed by many more.




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Calling for Action - from Europe’s Leaders

On the occasion of World Diabetes Day, November 14 2014, the Breakfast is Best coalition – representatives of Europe’s teachers, doctors, dietitians, paediatric dietitians and the European breakfast cereal industry – relaunched its ‘Call to Action’ urging Europe’s decision-makers to take the necessary steps to promote breakfast as part of a healthy lifestyle. You can find the full text here.

For more information, please e-mail info@breakfastisbest.eu or call Sylvie Aitken at the BIB Secretariat on +32 2 510 60 22



Breakfast is Best “goes blue” in support of World Diabetes Day focus on breakfast - Press Release

13 November 2014, Brussels – Core to the Breakfast is Best objective, we welcome and fully support this year’s World Diabetes Day which highlights the importance of breakfasts as part of a healthy lifestyle. World Diabetes Day highlights the need to promote breakfast consumption as a key tool in addressing the health epidemic, which is also a fundamental goal of the Breakfast is Best coalition. On the occasion of World Diabetes Day, we will hold a Twitter Hour chat on Friday 14th November with Dr. Duane Mellor, Assistant Professor in Dietetics at the University of Nottingham, UK, Spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association (BDA) and Lead of the European Specialist Dietetic Network for Diabetes of the European Federation of the Associations of Dieticians (EFAD), and Azmina Govindji, award-winning Dietitian and Media Nutritionist, best-selling Author, Media Spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association and formerly Chief Dietitian to Diabetes UK, to address the importance of breakfast as part of a healthy lifestyle.




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BIB calls on Commissioner Borg to
make breakfast a priority

To: Commissioner Tonio Borg
European Commission
Rue de la Loi 200
B - 1040 Brussels
 
Brussels, 21 October 2014

 

Dear Commissioner Borg,

On 15 October 2014 you delivered a speech to an audience attending the Parliament Magazine event on “Addressing the burden of chronic diseases in the EU: The need to tackle obesity”, where you spoke about the growing obesity epidemic that is affecting European youth and adults at an alarming rate.

We, the undersigned members of the Breakfast is Best campaign – a multi-stakeholder science-based campaign involving Europe’s teachers, dietitians, doctors and CEEREAL (European breakfast cereal and oat milling industry) – would like to commend you for your message, in which you directly addressed the importance of breakfast consumption as part of a healthy diet and an important element in the fight against obesity.




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3rd European Breakfast Day launches review of the importance of breakfast in European consumption guidelines

Brussels 24th April 2014 – Today, to mark the third European Breakfast Day, the ‘Breakfast is Best’ coalition – representatives of Europe’s teachers, doctors, dietitians, paediatric dietitians, and breakfast cereal industry1 – announces the launch of an upcoming report provisionally entitled ‘The Benefits of Breakfast: European Consumption Guidelines’.

Following on from previous successful European Breakfast Days, this year the Breakfast is Best coalition, founded in 2008, will be conducting a study examining the health information provided in 17 European countries with regard to breakfast consumption. The objective of this report is to highlight the countries that are actively promoting and monitoring the consumption of breakfast, and share best practice with those where information gaps exist.




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European Chronic Disease Summit: Healthy Living Starts at the Breakfast Table

Brussels 3rd April 2014 - Today kicks off the first European Chronic Disease Summit focusing on the increasing prevalence of the issue across Europe, and the social and economic burden it brings.

The number of people affected by chronic diseases - including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and many types of cancers - has significantly increased in recent years. 60 million people across Europe suffer from diabetes(1), and half of global cardiovascular disease deaths occur in the region(2). With 50% of the adult population overweight(3), this trend is set to continue.




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Tackling Health Inequalities
the Breakfast Way

Europe is often seen as the world’s healthiest continent, with longer life expectancies and fewer chronic diseases than any other World Health Organisation region. Yet this global picture masks enormous discrepancies both between EU member states and within European countries.

For a wide range of reasons – cultural, socioeconomic and geographical – Europe is a mixed picture when it comes to healthy behaviours. The European Commission and other EU institutions have made great progress in working to improve the health and well-being of EU citizens and reduce health inequalities throughout the Community; however, more must still be done.

Problems such as poor diet, impacting on school performance, directly affect the most disadvantaged communities. Breakfast is one small way of helping to close the gap: but it can be a small measure with a big impact in people’s everyday lives.




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One in six school children skip breakfast 'leaving them tired and disruptive in class'

15 per cent of secondary school pupils go without morning meals, leaving hungry students ‘less attentive’, explains a recent article in the Daily Mail.




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Expert research from Italy gives even more scientific reasons why breakfast is best

The latest science shows that on the one hand, breakfast eaters are more likely to reach recommended levels of important micronutrients; and on the other, that eating breakfast can help reduce the risk of serious health problems such as obesity, cardiovascular events and diabetes.

The Nutrition Foundation of Italy gathered a group of experts representative of the main Italian medical societies dealing with human nutrition, to prepare a consensus document on the importance of breakfast, based on recent scientific evidence (ACTA, BIOMED 2009; 80: 166-171). The research review concludes that the regular consumption of breakfast (providing 15-20% of the daily calorific intake) is associated with a higher likelihood of reaching the recommended dietary levels of some micronutrients, and with a reduced risk of developing obesity, cardiovascular events, and diabetes, possibly by controlling some of their risk factors.

So even more reason to enjoy breakfast tomorrow morning…. it is the best way to start the day, and a quick and easy step to looking after your health!






The European Food Information Council (EUFIC) backs Breakfast is Best

May 2010 - EUFIC’s ‘Food Today’ newsletter highlights the latest research on the importance of regular breakfast, and stresses the benefits of developing healthy breakfast habits in childhood. The report shows that compared to breakfast skippers, children who eat breakfast are more likely to meet nutrient recommendations and have higher daily intakes of important vitamins, minerals and fibre.

The article mentions the ‘Breakfast is Best’ campaign, and recognises the work done so far in raising awareness about the importance of breakfast with policymakers in Europe. As our campaign steps-up over the summer, we are delighted to see the ‘Breakfast is Best’ message being reinforced by EUFIC.

EUFIC also highlights early research findings from UK ‘breakfast clubs’, which indicates that eating breakfast does appear to make a difference to kids’ performance in school – another important reason why ‘breakfast is best’!

The EUFIC article and “Breakfast is Best” campaign information can be found at:
http://www.eufic.org/article/en/artid/Regular-breakfast-healthy-habit-in-childhood/






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BIB members, jury experts and John Bowis MEP: From left to right: Sylvie Aitken (Aspect), Hugo Ramon (AEDE), Erick Savoye (EMHF), Dr Vincenzo Costigliola (EMA), MEP John Bowis, Dr Ian Banks (EMHF), Brenda O'Brien (OSHA), Karin Hådell (EFAD), Julia Hauk (CEEREAL), Marie-Josée Mozin (CEDE)

Brussels, 24th July 2009 - The Breakfast is Best campaign, whose aim it is to raise the importance of breakfast as a meal and is supported by DG Sanco under the objectives of its white paper 'Together for Health: A Strategic Approach for the EU 2008-2013', successfully hosted a unique EU health policy debate on Wednesday 8th July 2009 in Brussels.

Hosted the evening prior to the 'Plenary of the EU Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health', the Breakfast on Trial debate took the form of a real trial which saw breakfast accused of negligence.

The purpose of putting Breakfast on Trial was to gather European and national level opinion formers and influencers to listen, think and discuss whether 'Breakfast', as a key component of public health is being recognised and communicated effectively, or whether it was indeed guilty of its charge of negligence.




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Brussels, 23rd June 2009 – The ‘Breakfast is Best’ campaign is pleased to announce a unique EU Health Policy debate to be held on Wednesday 8th July 2009 at the Renaissance Hotel in Brussels entitled ‘Breakfast on Trial’.

This one of a kind event, which had been designed to raise awareness amongst European and national level opinion formers of the importance of breakfast as a meal, will take on the format of a real trial.

There will be a presiding Judge (MEP John Bowis), expert witnesses (including; Dr Vincenzo Costigliola (EMA), Karin Hadell (EFAD), and Hugo Ramon (AEDE)), the inquisitor (Dr Ian Banks EMHF) and a jury (the event attendees). Amongst those due to attend are representatives from various NGOs and industry associations, EU public policy makers, members of the EU Parliament and representatives from the EU Member state countries.




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April 28th 2009 – Luxembourg. The Breakfast is Best campaign continues to gain significant support and is now aligned with the EU’s Directorate General for Health and Consumer Affairs (DG Sanco) white paper ‘Together for Health: A Strategic Approach for the EU 2008-2013’.

The BIB secretariat met with Mr Philippe Roux (Deputy Head of Unit - DG Sanco) and his team to discuss the recently launched Breakfast is Best campaign. At a time when all members of staff were on red alert with the sudden outbreak of swine flu, Mr Roux generously found the time to discuss ways in which DG Sanco could help support the objectives of the Breakfast is Best campaign to help it raise relevant awareness around the benefits of breakfast.




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Brussels, 18th September, 2008 – the campaign entitled "Breakfast is Best" has been launched today in the European Parliament. The objective of the campaign, which is sponsored by Avril Doyle MEP, is to raise awareness amongst European and national level opinion formers of the importance of breakfast, and to ensure that breakfast is treated as a serious public policy issue.

The European Union and Member State authorities spend an enormous amount of time and money addressing a range of fundamental health, social and economic challenges such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and educational and workplace performance. Yet public authorities fail to take seriously the contribution that breakfast can make to addressing all these issues by:
  • Allowing for greater control over appetite, thereby assisting weight control and helping to prevent obesity
  • Increasing cognitive ability and concentration, which helps to increase children’s educational performance and improve health and safety in the workplace
  • Boosting energy levels and kick starting your metabolism, which in turn helps to keep people active and fit and curbs hunger
  • Helping to decrease the risk of heart disease (the biggest cause of death in Europe) and improve general health.



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The Olympics may be finished, but we all still remember being riveted to our television screens by US swimming sensation Michael Phelps’s quest for an unprecedented 8 gold medals. Phelps ended up hitting his target of 8 golds; a previously unheard of sporting achievement.

The secret to Phelps’s success was understandably the subject of considerable media interest and the coverage recognised the contribution that nutrition made to his training regime. The Olympian consumes a staggering 10,000 calories per day as part of his training regimen, five times the recommended amount for an average adult male.


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