22/06/12

Cereals company Kellogg has updated and republished its research showing that cereals can improve nutrient intake and maintain a healthy weight.

Saying that it “wants to give people the facts on this nutritious breakfast food”, Kellogg has launched the 2012 edition of Cereal: The Complete Story. The updated research compendium includes a variety of data that the company says illustrate the many health benefits of breakfast cereal.

"There are a number of reasons why cereal has been a part of consumers' breakfasts for more than a century," said Christine Lowry, vice president of Global Nutrition Marketing for Kellogg. "The research in this updated compendium reinforces the nutrition, value, convenience and great taste of cereal. We rely heavily on this growing body of research to shape our own direction and make it clear that cereal is an ideal breakfast choice."

Key points made by the publication include the finding that children who eat cereal regularly tend to have lower Body Mass Indices compared to children who skip breakfast. Kellogg also claims that cereal is a gateway to milk consumption for young children, noting that cereal with milk is a leading source of 10 nutrients in U.S. children's diets.

The publication also claims that only one in 10 people in the U.S. get their daily recommended daily amount of fibre in their diets – and cereal can be an important source of this critical nutrient. It also says that cereal has lower levels of sodium per serving than many other breakfast foods.

In addition to updating the global science around breakfast cereal published since the previous version, the 2012 research compendium includes new references to hypertension, cardiovascular disease as well as a section on sustainable agriculture.