British children are eating junk food such as crisps, sweets and fizzy drinks for breakfast, new research has found.
The Kellogg's report, which coincides with National Breakfast Week, discovered half a million children eat biscuits for their morning meal.
Some £646 million is spent by children buying biscuits, cake and meat snacks on their way to school, with one in every class of 14-year-olds going to school having consumed nothing more than a cigarette.
Experts have warned this is not only bad for their health, but also breeds poor discipline in the classroom.
Public health nutritionist, Kathy Cowbrough, who was involved with the government's Sure Start Centres, said: 'How often have we all seen young children not wanting to cooperate with harassed parents, or school children unable to stay alert for valuable lessons at school?
'This is because missing a decent breakfast means we can be saying goodbye to up to a quarter of the nutrients and energy we need for the day, making us more tired, irritable and less able to concentrate in the morning.'
Kellogg's says parents are fuelling the bad food binge, by handing over money so children can buy food on the way to school. Of the parents who give their children money for breakfast, two-thirds say it's inevitable it will be spent on junk food.
Six in ten parents admitted to having serious concerns about their child's diet, and a third are worried about their child's health. Kellogg's says the problem could be solved if parents took these funds away and gave children a breakfast at home.
Rachel Fellows spokesperson for Kellogg's said: 'Ask any parent and I think they'd agree, a biscuit or packet of crisps are okay snacks when part of a balanced diet but they're not breakfast.
'This report shows parents are having a tough time but we know parents want to do the right thing but something's stopping that happening. We all need to help parents find solutions – like open more breakfast clubs in schools - so each child can start the day with a decent meal in them.'
Top of the junk-food breakfast brands children eat, according the research, was Walkers crisps, followed by Hula Hoops and Kit Kat.
The Kellogg's report, which coincides with National Breakfast Week, discovered half a million children eat biscuits for their morning meal.
Some £646 million is spent by children buying biscuits, cake and meat snacks on their way to school, with one in every class of 14-year-olds going to school having consumed nothing more than a cigarette.
Experts have warned this is not only bad for their health, but also breeds poor discipline in the classroom.
Public health nutritionist, Kathy Cowbrough, who was involved with the government's Sure Start Centres, said: 'How often have we all seen young children not wanting to cooperate with harassed parents, or school children unable to stay alert for valuable lessons at school?
'This is because missing a decent breakfast means we can be saying goodbye to up to a quarter of the nutrients and energy we need for the day, making us more tired, irritable and less able to concentrate in the morning.'
Kellogg's says parents are fuelling the bad food binge, by handing over money so children can buy food on the way to school. Of the parents who give their children money for breakfast, two-thirds say it's inevitable it will be spent on junk food.
Six in ten parents admitted to having serious concerns about their child's diet, and a third are worried about their child's health. Kellogg's says the problem could be solved if parents took these funds away and gave children a breakfast at home.
Rachel Fellows spokesperson for Kellogg's said: 'Ask any parent and I think they'd agree, a biscuit or packet of crisps are okay snacks when part of a balanced diet but they're not breakfast.
'This report shows parents are having a tough time but we know parents want to do the right thing but something's stopping that happening. We all need to help parents find solutions – like open more breakfast clubs in schools - so each child can start the day with a decent meal in them.'
Top of the junk-food breakfast brands children eat, according the research, was Walkers crisps, followed by Hula Hoops and Kit Kat.
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