There are two types of people in this world: those who eat breakfast and those who don’t. Me? I love breakfast. Nothing beats starting the day with a cup of coffee and an egg white sandwich as I update myself on the Facebook happenings I missed during the night.

To others, breakfast is not even in their vocabulary. The thought of a meal right after waking up might spark nausea, and the mad dash to prepare for class may leave no time for food.

There’s been some new evidence that may disprove the phrase that breakfast is ‘the most important meal of the day.’

A study published in the Nutrition Journal in January found that eating a big breakfast doesn’t actually lead to decreased calorie intake over the course of the day. In fact, the number of calories consumed at non-breakfast meals was the same among breakfast and non-breakfast eaters participating in the study. Dr. Volker Schusdziarra, a non-breakfast eater and senior author of the study, told The New York Times that breakfast is just added calories.

But not everyone is convinced by this study’s results. Darlene Endy, a registered dietician and nutritionist practicing in Manlius, N.Y., believes breakfast tends to reduce overeating later in the day.

‘This is probably more mental than a physical phenomenon,’ she said. ‘A person may feel that since they didn’t eat breakfast, they can make up for it at a later meal.’

Despite people’s obsession with their number on the scale, they should not let their weight-loss goals control whether or not they eat breakfast. There are, after all, other reasons to kick start the day with some grub. Weight Watchers, a popular weight-loss program, calls breakfast a ‘secret weapon’ for dieters.

In a 2008 study, researchers tracked the eating habits of 800 teenagers and found that those who ate a breakfast that included fruits, grains and dairy products performed better in school than those who didn’t. Nothing is more distracting during class than a grumbling stomach. It is best to have a fairly similar eating pattern from day to day so we don’t make irrational eating decisions in response to hunger, said Endy, the registered dietician and nutritionist. Cue the 10 Oreos at 6 p.m.

Personally, the brainstorming process as I scan the fridge for the morning’s food warms up my mind for a tough day of classes, and the tasty food gives me enough energy to drag myself to the bus. If I didn’t eat breakfast, my stomach probably wouldn’t pipe down until receiving a Shaq-sized lunch I’d most likely regret later. Don’t even get me started on the Mr. Hyde qualities I can possess when my breakfast doesn’t include coffee.

To those non-breakfast eaters looking to join the breakfast club, proceed with caution: Some food options are more beneficial than others. A Denny’s Southern Omelet with hash browns, for example, has a whopping 1,070 calories. It may be breakfast, but it probably doesn’t pass the Weight Watcher’s secret weapon test.

Alicia Smith is a graduate student in the S.I.Newhouse Schoo lof Public Communication’s magazine, newspaper and online journalism program. Her column appears every Thursday, and she can be reached at acsmit05@syr.edu

Published on February 2, 2011 at 12:00 pm