You should listen when your mom tells you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day -- especially if you don't want your kids to be overweight.

Science Daily reports that new research funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that kids who participate only in the federal government's National School Lunch Program are more likely to become overweight, but kids who participate in the federally-funded breakfast program and the lunch program are slimmer than most.

Researchers from Southern Methodist University, Georgia State University and Kuwait University looked at data on more than 13,500 elementary school students, and found that kids who eat both breakfast and lunch under the federal program weigh less than kids who only eat lunch, as well as kids who do not participate in the program at all.

The students were also interviewed in kindergarten, first and third grades, and again in later grades.

The USDA reimburses schools for a portion of their school lunch costs, and also donates surplus food items. The USDA also requires that the meals meet certain nutritional guidelines, but it does allow the schools to choose the foods it serves.

"The fact that federally-funded school lunches contribute to the childhood obesity epidemic is disconcerting, although not altogether surprising," study co-author and economist Daniel L. Millimet tells Science Daily.

Schools are allowed to serve additional items on an a la carte basis under the program, and those foods may fall outside the federal guidelines for nutrition.

"First, it is very difficult to plan healthy but inviting school lunches at a low price," Millimet tells Science Daily. "Second, given the tight budgets faced by many school districts, funding from the sales of a la carte lunch items receives high priority."

The study was published in the The Journal of Human Resources.

Happy Meal Toy Lawsuit Is Out to Lunch
by Brett Singer (Subscribe to Brett Singer's posts) Jun 24th 2010 3:00

Will banning Happy Meal toys make kids eat healthier? Credit: Ben Stansall, AFP / Getty Images

Fighting childhood obesity is a good thing. Unfortunately, some folks are too focused on the toys in our kids' hands rather than the unhealthy food in their mouths.

Remember last month, when the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance to prevent restaurants from giving away toys with unhealthy meals? Someone at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) must have thought that was a great idea. The advocacy group is planning to sue McDonald's over Happy Meal toys, because it says the toys are designed to get children to use their "pester power" to convince Mom and Dad to visit the Golden Arches. Once there, kids acquire the latest cheap plastic doohickey, which comes with fattening food.

We know children can become obsessed with a plaything if they see a commercial for it over and over again. But if the folks at the CSPI believe separating Happy Meals from toys is going to keep kids out of McDonald's, they must be out to lunch.

CSPI seems like a good organization. According to its website, the group currently is working toward "accurate and honest labeling on food packages," improving food safety laws and getting junk food out of our schools.

These are laudable goals. But this threatened lawsuit against McDonald's is attacking the wrong problem.

Yes, marketing to children is excessive. But kids aren't eating the toys. Does anyone really believe children will stop wanting McDonald's french fries without the promise of a free toy? (Hasn't anyone at CSPI ever eaten those fries? They may not be healthy, but they're delicious.) And what about all of the adults scarfing down Big Macs every single day? Not all of the billions and billions of burgers the fast food giant has served over the years were eaten by grade-schoolers. A lack of toys isn't sending grownups to the salad bar.

Here's some free advice for CSPI and food advocates everywhere: Want kids to eat healthier? Focus on the food. Not the toys.