TABLE 3.
Randomized controlled trials that investigated breakfast interventions and obesity
| First author, year of publication (reference) | Study length | Treatment description | Relevant results | Notes |
| Schlundt, 1992 (10) | 12 wk | Skipping or eating breakfast stratified by baseline breakfast habits | Habitual breakfast eaters assigned to skip breakfast and habitual breakfast skippers assigned to eat breakfast lost more weight than subjects who maintained their breakfast habits; no main effect of breakfast on weight loss. | Interaction effect was P < 0.06 |
| Geliebter, 2000 (23) | 4 wk | Oatmeal, corn flakes, or water for breakfast | Water group lost 1.2 kg; breakfast groups did not change weight. No changes in lean and fat mass in groups. | Specific breakfast foods |
| Farshchi, 2005 (24) | 2 wk | Controlled chronobiological study in which breakfast calories were shifted to lunch | No significant differences in weight, anthropometric measures, or body composition. | Controlled calories at subsequent eating occasions |
| Hirsch, 1975 (25) | 1 wk/arm | All food consumed at dinner or at breakfast; crossover | Dinner-only resulted in a relative increase in weight compared with breakfast-only. | Not specifically breakfast compared with no breakfast |
| Crepinsek, 2006 (26) | 3 school years | Universal-free school breakfast compared with standard School Breakfast Program | No difference in BMI or percentage of students overweight. | Not specifically breakfast compared with no breakfast |
| Powell, 1998 (27) | 1 school year | Breakfast or a quarter of an orange | Breakfast intervention resulted in increased weight. | One-half of children were less than −1 SD weight-for-age; not specifically breakfast compared with no breakfast |
| Ask, 2006 (28) | 4 mo | Free breakfast and supplements compared with control | Weight increased in control group and M subjects of intervention; BMI increased in control group but not in intervention. | Unclear if control and intervention groups were compared; one class room per treatment; not specifically breakfast compared with no breakfast |
| Rosado, 2008 (29) | 12 wk | Ready-to-eat-cereal or habitual intake | No significant difference in weight between groups. | Included unrelated additional treatment groups; not specifically breakfast compared with no breakfast |