Importance of Eating Breakfast

A 1998 study by A.P. Smith concluded that eating breakfast was associated with better mental health. Those who ate cereal every morning were less depressed, less stressed, and were also less emotionally distressed. While the physical weight benefits of eating breakfast are widely known, the mental benefits are not as well known. Eating breakfast is not only important to maintain a healthy body weight, but it is vital for maintaining a healthy mental state, as well.

Because eating breakfast is so important, I have created a plan people can use to start eating breakfast every morning, based on the Theory of Reasoned Action/Theory of  Planned Behavior (TRA/TPB). It is outlined below:

1. Before the intervention occurs, answer the following question - "On a scale of 1-7 (1 being not likely at all and 7 being very likely), how likely are you to eat breakfast every morning?" This will show the individual how strong their intent is to perform the behavior.
2. On a scale of 1-7(1 being not important at all and 7 being very important), rate a series of statements that describe the benefits of eating breakfast daily. Example questions are
   -Being focused at work
   -Maintaining a health weight
   -Being in a good mood
   By rating these statements, the individual will come to realize that the benefits of eating breakfast are outcomes which they value. They want these positive outcomes to occur. 
3. Read about how eating breakfast will bring about the positive outcomes listed in number 2. Now that the individual values the outcomes, they will be more interested in reading about how to increase the chances of those positive outcomes occurring. 
4. Show a video of people eating breakfast. The people in the video should be similar to the population participating in the intervention. If the individual sees people similar to them eating breakfast, they will see that eating breakfast is a 'cool' thing to do and they will be more inclined to eat breakfast.
5. Encourage the individual to buy a wide variety of breakfast foods. If the individual has many different options to choose from, their sense of control will increase. They won't be able to say that they don't have any food for breakfast or that they don't have anything they like to eat. If they have food stocked that they want to eat, then they will be more likely to eat it.
6. After the intervention, answer the following question - "On a scale of 1-7(1 being not likely and all and 7 being very likely), how likely are you to eat breakfast every morning?" By comparing their answer to this question to the first time they answered it, they will see how their willingness to perform the behavior has changed. If the intervention was successful, they should notice that their willingness to perform the behavior has increased. 

This is a quick and inexpensive intervention that can be applied in many different settings, from schools to churches, and can even be done in therapy sessions. If a therapist is having difficulty getting a client to commit to breakfast, perhaps performing an intervention similar to this could be helpful. 

Using the Transtheoretical Model / Stages of Change Model to Prevent Depression

Image Source: Leesque, D. A., Van Marter, D. F., Schneider, R. J., Bauer, M. R., Goldberg, D. N., Prochaska, J. O., & Prochaska, J. M. (2011). Randomized Trial of a Computer-Tailored Intervention for Patients With Depression. American Journal Of Health Promotion, 26(2), 77-89.

Leesque and colleagues recently applied the Transtheoretical Model to treating depression in a way that used both the computer and a workbook. According to the article, 5% of people in the United States struggle with depression, which is not only a terrible thing to have to fight on its own, but is also a risk factor for various other diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Depression is also responsible for loss of productivity due to people missing work because of their depression. Even though depression is related to so many negative outcomes, only 15%-30% of patients receive adequate care. There is definitely a treatment gap that needs to be addressed.

This study aimed fill in some of that gap by targeting the population of people who are not ideal candidates for traditional treatment due to either not being receptive to traditional treatment or not displaying symptoms strong enough to warrant traditional treatment. The intervention was home based. Participants were first separated into stages depending on if they were engaging in behaviors found to prevent depression, such as daily exercise or stress management, or when, if ever, they were planning on beginning to engage in these behaviors. Based on their responses to a series of questions, participants in the intervention group were presented with their stage and also with an individualized report which told them their stage-matched options for change. They also received a stage-matched workbook designed to bring them into the next stage.

As demonstrated by the table, the intervention was successful in reducing scores according to the Beck Depression inventory and increasing physical functioning. It was not as successful in bringing people into the next stage of change.

While the intervention was not so successful in bringing people into the next stage, using a stage-matched workbook did manage to decrease depressive symptoms and increase physical functioning, which is spectacular. Using this method to treat depression in patients who either can't afford treatment or who aren't responsive to regular treatment could definitely be a great way to address the treatment gap. So many people who are depressed don't receive treatment, and this could be an inexpensive way to address that. This intervention could also help to prevent depression in people who are more vulnerable to depression, such as those who have been depressed in the past or who have risk factors for depression. By giving them a workbook based on the managing stage, the arrival of symptoms could be reduced.

I feel like this is a very promising style of intervention, and even if it doesn't actually bring people into the next stage of change, if it is able to decrease depressive symptoms through matching the intervention to the stage that a person is in, then it does deserve to be further examined.