REGRETTABLY, a majority of underprivileged children in Pakistan, especially the school-going ones, do not take a proper breakfast, which is the most important meal of the day. They usually have dinner at 9pm and then take their lunch the next day at 1pm. This deprivation of food makes them starve for over 15 hours — equivalent to one day’s fasting.

Healthy diet plays an important role in the wellbeing of children, whereas poor diet leads to malnutrition and other serious health issues, including stunted growth. More than 44 per cent children in Pakistan suffer from stunted growth, which is one of the highest rates in the world.

Many studies have indicated a direct correlation between breakfast and students’ academic performance. The healthier the breakfast one takes, the better they can perform in exams. It also encourages active participation in extracurricular activities, which is critical for their mental and physical health.

As a matter of fact, our brain is less than two per cent of the body weight, but it consumes more than 20pc of the body’s energy.

It functions even when we are sleeping, storing memories, and maintaining a haemostatic system. Therefore, having a proper breakfast ensures the provision of adequate energy required by the brain for the body to function adequately. Needless to say, there are a lot of benefits associated with taking proper breakfast, but the essence of highlighting its importance is to ensure the availability of proper food to our children.

The parents should ensure this at home, while the government and philan-thropists should make efforts to support the street children in this critical regard.

Dr Asghar Naqvi
Karachi

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2021