Is your teenager skipping breakfast? Here's why it's a big problem and how to fix it

Oh, I haven’t eaten any breakfast today.

Dubai-based Amrita Nandan (name changed on request), a schoolteacher, is always rather perplexed when she hears students say this in a rather matter-of-fact manner. “It’s actually rather worrying, because I’m not sure whether they skip it due to lack of time, or if it’s some idea of weight management,” she says.

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Yet, many high-school students still refuse to have breakfast, or tell their parents that they’ll ‘eat later’. “That later, comes really later,” says Nandan. “And that’s not healthy at all, because I can see the impact it has on them: Some of them are tired, lethargic during class, and don’t even have much energy for games.”

This peculiar trend is reflected in research: In 2023, only 1 in 4 high school students ate breakfast daily, according to a decade-long survey on adolescent health and well-being by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report, tracking lifestyle behaviors from 2013 to 2023, highlights a concerning decline in students’ dietary, physical activity, and sleep habits.  While soda and sports drink consumption slightly decreased and water intake improved, most other healthy eating habits declined. Daily breakfast consumption dropped to 27 percent, with an even lower rate among female students—just 22 percent compared to 32 percent of males. Boys were also more likely to eat fruits and vegetables and drink water at least three times a day. The survey also linked poor mental health to skipping breakfast, along with other unhealthy behaviors like lack of exercise.

Over the 10-year period, fewer students reported eating fruit, 63 per cent to 55 per cent, vegetables, 61 to 58 per cent, or breakfast daily, 38 per cent to 27 per cent. However, more students drank plain water at least three times a day, rising from 49 per cent to 54 per cent, since tracking began in 2015, and soda consumption declined, with 31 per cent, avoiding it in 2023 compared to 22 per cent  in 2013.

Why do high-school students skip breakfast?

There’s no straightforward answer as such, but psychologists believe that for many high school students, breakfast is the easiest meal to skip. As Sathya Naresh, a child psychologist from the digital platform CareCo. explains, “They’re caught between rushing to school, or are just not hungry in the morning. So, they don’t see breakfast as something to prioritise, or it’s something that can be sacrificed in favour of extra sleep, or last-minute homework and assignments.”

Explaining the shifting circadian rhythm, Naresh explains, a teenager’s body clock isn’t just stubborn—it’s biologically wired to shift later. Naturally, most teens can’t fall asleep before 11 .m. or even midnight, making early school mornings a struggle. Their sleep cycles clash with school schedules, leaving them groggy and exhausted. And when every extra minute of sleep feels priceless, most would rather hit snooze than sit down for breakfast. On top of that, sleep deprivation can leave them feeling too tired—or even nauseous—to stomach food in the morning.

Moreover, many students also harbour the misconception that avoiding breakfast can help them lose weight. However, studies show that skipping breakfast can actually lead to overeating later in the day, slowing metabolism and increasing cravings for unhealthy foods. For instance, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that individuals who skipped breakfast had higher levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, leading to increased appetite and a tendency to consume more calories later in the day.

Why skipping breakfast can be a problem

Yet, this seemingly harmless habit can have ripple effects on their energy levels, academic performance, and overall health.

As studies show: skipping breakfast can slow metabolism, prompting the body to conserve energy and burn fewer calories, potentially leading to weight gain. Furthermore, it deprives you of essential nutrients, like calcium, iron, and vitamin D, crucial for bone health and muscle growth. Without breakfast, blood sugar levels drop, increasing irritability, stress, and the risk of depression. Additionally, a lack of morning nutrition weakens the immune system, making teens more vulnerable to illnesses. For growing adolescents, breakfast isn’t just a meal—it’s vital for energy, focus, and overall well-being.

How you can fix this problem:

To help teens stop skipping breakfast, focus on quick, nutritious, and appealing options while addressing sleep habits and schedule constraints. Here’s how:

Make breakfast fast and easy

Offer grab-and-go options like yogurt with granola, fruit, protein bars, or smoothies.

Prep breakfasts ahead, such as overnight oats or egg muffins

Keep it simple—whole-grain toast with peanut butter or a banana is better than nothing.

 Adjust sleep habits

Encourage earlier bedtimes to ensure they wake up with enough time to eat.

Limit screen time before bed to improve sleep quality

Create a breakfast routine

· Start small: A handful of nuts, a piece of fruit, or a glass of milk can be a stepping stone.

· Eat together when possible to make breakfast a habit, not a chore.

Keep it appealing

·   Let teens choose their favourite healthy options.

·  Rotate different breakfasts to avoid boredom.

Address appetite issues

If they feel too nauseous in the morning, encourage a light first meal like a smoothie or milk and slowly work up to solid foods.

Hydrate first—sometimes a glass of water helps ease morning discomfort.