May 12-18 this year is National Nutrition Week 2024. A survey by the Chinese Nutrition Society shows that the situation of Chinese residents eating breakfast is not optimistic: 18.4% of people cannot eat breakfast every day on weekdays, 29.7% of people cannot eat breakfast every day on weekends, and the proportion of eating grains and potatoes is 89.4%, while the proportion of consuming milk beans, vegetables and fruits is less than 50%. The dietary structure is not reasonable enough. This is the information learned by the reporter from the 6th National Nutrition Science Popularization Conference held on the 12th. Nutrition experts suggest that having a good breakfast is an important step in improving the unreasonable dietary structure of residents, and improving health levels should start with breakfast every day. "A large amount of scientific evidence suggests that skipping breakfast or having a bad breakfast can increase the risk of obesity." Liu Ailing, a researcher at the Institute of Nutrition and Health of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that the body's blood sugar levels are low in the morning, and not eating breakfast in a timely manner can stimulate the secretion of some hormones in the body, which is beneficial for promoting fat production; At the same time, if the fasting time is long, the body is prone to feeling hungry, leading to consuming high calorie foods during meals such as lunch. Liu Ailing said that research shows that long-term skipping breakfast will increase the risk of type 2 diabetes by 21%, and will also increase the risk of cardiovascular, digestive system and other diseases. It will also have a negative impact on the brain development of children and adolescents, as well as the memory and mood of adults. "A rich breakfast can not only suppress appetite to the greatest extent and control weight better, but also enable the human body to have better metabolic and endocrine responses, improve the blood sugar response at the next meal, increase insulin sensitivity, maintain a stable state of blood sugar, and reduce the risk of diabetes," said Liu Ailing. So how should we have a good breakfast? The Chinese Dietary Guidelines for Residents (2022) suggest that breakfast should ensure a variety of foods, including at least one main course, one dairy and egg, and one vegetable and fruit, to ensure comprehensive and sufficient nutrition. Choose foods with high nutrient density, such as fresh, colorful fruits and vegetables, as well as dairy and soybean products, eggs, lean meat, and whole grains. Experts suggest that breakfast should not be eaten too little and should account for 25% to 30% of the total food intake throughout the day. The energy supply is similar to lunch and dinner. Breakfast should not be too late, try to finish it before 9 o'clock. Encourage family members to dine together and start a wonderful day in a warm and joyful state. (Lai Xin She)