Should men and women eat different breakfasts? Study suggests they should

An assortment of breakfast foods. (Shutterstock)

New research from the University of Waterloo suggests that when it comes to breakfast, men and women might need to consider different approaches to get the most out of their morning meals.

The study, which uses a mathematical model, indicates that men and women may benefit from different breakfast choices to optimize metabolism and potentially aid weight management.

Researchers found that men’s metabolisms respond better to carbohydrate-rich breakfasts, such as oats and grains, after fasting. In contrast, women are better served by breakfasts higher in fat content, like omelettes and avocados.

Lead author Stéphanie Abo, a PhD candidate in Applied Mathematics, emphasized the importance of understanding how dietary choices can impact health and energy levels.

“Lifestyle is a big factor in our overall health,” Abo said in a media release. “We live busy lives, so it’s important to understand how seemingly inconsequential decisions, such as what to have for breakfast, can affect our health and energy levels. Whether attempting to lose weight, maintain weight, or just keep up your energy, understanding your diet’s impact on your metabolism is important.” 

The study addresses a gap in research on sex differences in fat metabolism, with co-author Anita Layton noting that women, despite having more body fat on average, tend to burn more fat during fasting than men.

“We often have less research data on women’s bodies than on men’s bodies,” she said in the release. “By building mathematical models based on the data we do have, we can test lots of hypotheses quickly and tweak experiments in ways that would be impractical with human subjects.” 

The researchers plan to enhance the model to include factors such as age, weight, and menstrual cycle stages for a more personalized approach to nutrition.