title: Breakfast: a multidisciplinary approach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of breakfast as an essential part of an healthy diet has been only recently promoted even if breakfast practices were known since the Middle Age. The growing scientific evidences on this topic are extremely sector-based nevertheless breakfast could be regarded from different point of views and from different expertises. This approach, that take into account history, sociology, anthropology, medicine, psychology and pedagogy, is useful to better understand the value of this meal in our culture. The aim of this paper was to analyse breakfast-related issues based on a multidisciplinary approach with input by specialists from different fields of learning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Breakfast is now recommended as part of a diet because it is associated with healthier macro- and micronutrient intakes, body mass index and lifestyle. Moreover recent studies showed that breakfast improves cognitive function, intuitive perception and academic performance. Research demonstrates the importance of providing breakfast not only to children but in adults and elderly too. Although the important role breakfast plays in maintaining the health, epidemiological data from industrialised countries reveal that many individuals either eat a nutritionally unhealthy breakfast or skip it completely.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The historical, bio-psychological and educational value of breakfast in our culture is extremely important and should be recognized and stressed by the scientific community. Efforts should be done to promote this practice for the individual health and well-being.
authors.affiliation: Italian Parents Movement (MOIGE), Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Affinita
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Catalani
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cecchetto
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Lorenzo
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dilillo
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Donegani
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fransos
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lucidi
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mameli
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Manna
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marconi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mele
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Minestroni
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montanari
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morcellini
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rovera
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rotilio
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sachet
authors.forename: Gian Vincenzo
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Zuccotti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D062408:Breakfast; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D007558:Italy; D018977:Micronutrients
chemical_list: D018977:Micronutrients