Meal Time Protein & Calorie Distribution

Last Friday, we posted research suggesting that evenly distributing protein across daily meals can help support muscular strength. How does the average child in America eat? A study published in The Journal of Nutrition found the majority of protein and calories are consumed at lunchtime and evening meals.
 
Researchers used 24-hour dietary recall data from the 1013 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to track the eating habits of 2,532 subjects between the ages of 4 and 18. They found 4% of children aged 4 to 8 consumed nothing before 11 AM, and 20% of the subjects aged 14 to 18 didn’t eat anything until 11 AM or later. Most of the protein and calories were consumed at dinner and lunch with the least amount consumed at breakfast and in the afternoon.