Effects of Differing Breakfast Conditions and Habit Patterns on Performance in an Endurance Activity

Abstract

Thirty-six subjects were obtained who fit into one of three subgroups: (a) 12 habitually heavy breakfast eaters, (b) 12 habitually light breakfast eaters, and (c) 12 who habitually ate no breakfast. Using a modified version of the Harvard Step Test, subjects were tested for endurance each morning at assigned time intervals after breakfast. One week, each subject ate a heavy breakfast, another week, each subject ate a light breakfast, and a third week each subject ate a liquid breakfast. Habitual eating types and breakfast conditions were rotated to control for conditioning. Subjects with habitual eating patterns were not affected by changes in the patterns. Subjects, when assigned to the liquid breakfast condition, performed at significantly higher levels than when assigned to either of the other conditions.