Should men and women eat the same breakfast?

It comes down to different metabolisms in men and women. Exactly what factors are at play needs to be determined in future studies. Image (c) ConsumerAffairs

A study finds men do better with carbs, women with fat

Should men and women eat different breakfasts to lose weight?

A recent study found that men seem to do better with a carb-heavy breakfast (like bagels or oatmeal), while women do better with a higher-fat breakfast (like eggs and avocado), especially after not eating for a while (like overnight).

Basically, our bodies are like engines that run on different fuel.

The researchers think this might be because women naturally have more body fat, and their bodies are better at storing and burning fat for energy.

This is important because it shows that what we eat can affect our energy levels and even help with weight loss, and it might be different for men and women.

Different metabolisms

The study, which employed a mathematical model of men’s and women’s metabolisms, showed that men’s metabolisms respond better on average to a meal laden with high carbohydrates while women are better served by a meal with a higher percentage of fat, such as omelettes and avocados.

“Lifestyle is a big factor in our overall health,” said Stéphanie Abo, an Applied Mathematics PhD candidate and the lead author of the study.

“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.” 

 “Since women have more body fat on average than men, you would think that they would burn less fat for energy, but they don’t,” said Anita Layton, a professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Waterloo in Canada. “The results of the model suggest that women store more fat immediately after a meal but also burn more fat during a fast.”

The scientists want to do more research to see how other things like age and weight affect how our bodies use energy.

Going forward, the researchers hope to build more complex versions of their metabolism models and extend beyond the consideration of biological sex by incorporating an individual’s weight, age, or stage in the menstrual cycle. 

The study, Modelling sex-specific whole-body metabolic responses to feeding and fasting” appears in Computers in Biology and Medicine.