Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24808492›Full record

SynthesisThe American journal of clinical nutrition2014

The effect of breakfast composition and energy contribution on cognitive and academic performance: a systematic review.

Valeria Edefonti, Valentina Rosato, Maria Parpinel, Gabriella Nebbia, Lorenzo Fiorica, Emilio Fossali, Monica Ferraroni, Adriano Decarli, Carlo Agostoni

Registry-linked trialAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The American journal of clinical nutrition, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06941740 (Randomized Controlled Nutrition Trial on Reactive Hypoglycaemia on the Course of Memory and Attention Among Young Adults - Relevance of Chronotype), which is not on this map. Cited by 35 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
35citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06941740 naenrolling by invitationnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Randomized Controlled Nutrition Trial on Reactive Hypoglycaemia on the Course of Memory and Attention Among Young Adults - Relevance of Chronotype

TypeinterventionalSponsorAnette BuykenRan2025 to 2027Enrolled177ConditionsHealthyArmsimmediate verbal memory after low glycemic index breakfast inducing no reactive hypoglycaemia, immediate verbal memory after low glycemic index breakfast causing reactive hypoglycaemia
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

35 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Valeria EdefontiFrom the Section of Medical Statistics and Biometry, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (VE, VR, MF, and AD); the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Department of Medical and Biological Sciences, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy (MP); the Pediatric Clinic (GN and LF) and the Pediatric Emergency Unit (EF), IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; the Unit of Medical Statistics, Biometry and Bioinformatics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy (AD); and the Pediatric Clinic, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy (CA).
Valentina RosatoFrom the Section of Medical Statistics and Biometry, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (VE, VR, MF, and AD); the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Department of Medical and Biological Sciences, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy (MP); the Pediatric Clinic (GN and LF) and the Pediatric Emergency Unit (EF), IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; the Unit of Medical Statistics, Biometry and Bioinformatics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy (AD); and the Pediatric Clinic, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy (CA).
Maria ParpinelFrom the Section of Medical Statistics and Biometry, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (VE, VR, MF, and AD); the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Department of Medical and Biological Sciences, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy (MP); the Pediatric Clinic (GN and LF) and the Pediatric Emergency Unit (EF), IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; the Unit of Medical Statistics, Biometry and Bioinformatics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy (AD); and the Pediatric Clinic, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy (CA).
Gabriella NebbiaFrom the Section of Medical Statistics and Biometry, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (VE, VR, MF, and AD); the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Department of Medical and Biological Sciences, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy (MP); the Pediatric Clinic (GN and LF) and the Pediatric Emergency Unit (EF), IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; the Unit of Medical Statistics, Biometry and Bioinformatics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy (AD); and the Pediatric Clinic, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy (CA).
Lorenzo FioricaFrom the Section of Medical Statistics and Biometry, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (VE, VR, MF, and AD); the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Department of Medical and Biological Sciences, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy (MP); the Pediatric Clinic (GN and LF) and the Pediatric Emergency Unit (EF), IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; the Unit of Medical Statistics, Biometry and Bioinformatics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy (AD); and the Pediatric Clinic, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy (CA).
Emilio FossaliFrom the Section of Medical Statistics and Biometry, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (VE, VR, MF, and AD); the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Department of Medical and Biological Sciences, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy (MP); the Pediatric Clinic (GN and LF) and the Pediatric Emergency Unit (EF), IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; the Unit of Medical Statistics, Biometry and Bioinformatics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy (AD); and the Pediatric Clinic, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy (CA).
Monica FerraroniFrom the Section of Medical Statistics and Biometry, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (VE, VR, MF, and AD); the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Department of Medical and Biological Sciences, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy (MP); the Pediatric Clinic (GN and LF) and the Pediatric Emergency Unit (EF), IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; the Unit of Medical Statistics, Biometry and Bioinformatics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy (AD); and the Pediatric Clinic, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy (CA).
Adriano DecarliFrom the Section of Medical Statistics and Biometry, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (VE, VR, MF, and AD); the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Department of Medical and Biological Sciences, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy (MP); the Pediatric Clinic (GN and LF) and the Pediatric Emergency Unit (EF), IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; the Unit of Medical Statistics, Biometry and Bioinformatics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy (AD); and the Pediatric Clinic, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy (CA).
Carlo AgostoniFrom the Section of Medical Statistics and Biometry, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy (VE, VR, MF, and AD); the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Department of Medical and Biological Sciences, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy (MP); the Pediatric Clinic (GN and LF) and the Pediatric Emergency Unit (EF), IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; the Unit of Medical Statistics, Biometry and Bioinformatics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy (AD); and the Pediatric Clinic, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy (CA).

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMost studies that assess the effects of breakfast on subsequent mental abilities compared performance in subjects who had or had not consumed this meal. However, characteristics of breakfast itself may induce metabolic and hormonal alterations of the gastrointestinal tract and potentially modify cognitive performance. Moreover, as far as the evidence on the positive effects of having breakfast is becoming more robust, interest may shift to the specific characteristics of an adequate breakfast.

objectiveThe objective was to summarize existing evidence on the role of nutrient composition or energy intake at breakfast on the accomplishment of school-related tasks and cognition.

designWe conducted a systematic review of the literature through the PubMed database.

resultsFrom the literature search, we identified 102 articles, 15 of which met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 3 studies provided information on the relation between cognitive and academic performance and energy intake at breakfast, 11 provided the same information for the macronutrient composition of breakfast, and 1 investigated both the aspects. Eleven studies considered breakfast meals differing in glycemic index/load. Selected studies were generally carried out in well-nourished children and adults of both sexes from general education. They were mostly experimental studies of short duration and had a limited number of subjects. Cognitive and academic performance was investigated by looking at multiple domains, including memory, attention, reasoning, learning, and verbal and math abilities, with a variety of test batteries scheduled at different time points in the morning. Breakfast options differed in terms of included foods and place and time of administration.

conclusionsThere is insufficient quantity and consistency among studies to draw firm conclusions. However, whereas the hypothesis of a better and more sustained performance with a breakfast providing >20% daily energy intake still needs substantiation, there does appear to be emerging, but still equivocal, evidence that a lower postprandial glycemic response is beneficial to cognitive performance.

Indexed as

BreakfastCognitionEnergy IntakeEvidence-Based MedicineHealth PromotionLearningMemoryAdolescentAdolescent Nutritional Physiological PhenomenaAdultChildChild Nutritional Physiological PhenomenaEducational StatusHumansNutrition PolicyTask Performance and Analysis

Identifiers

PMID24808492

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.