We have reported the findings from Asia Pacific Healthy Breakfast Survey conducted by Herbalife in February this year with more than 5,500 respondents in 11 markets including 500 Malaysians, which has revealed that majority Asia Pacific consumers skipping breakfast due to lack of time.
The survey has further revealed the breakfast habits of Malaysians which consume too much carbohydrate-heavy foods such as bread or toast and hot beverages. The survey results also indicated that 69% of Malaysians only consume coffee, tea and hot chocolate for breakfast, whereas 68% of respondents consumed only bread or toast; 42% and 19% tended to load up on food rich in carbohydrates and fats, respectively.
According to Dr. Chen, “There is a serious lack of awareness on what constitutes a healthy breakfast, with carbohydrate-heavy foods such as bread or toast and hot beverages topping the list of breakfast foods regularly consumed by Malaysians.”
According to the Herbalife Nutrition Philosophy, the calorie intake for every meal should be made up of 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein and 30 percent fats, along with 25g of fiber and eight glasses of water daily to promote overall well-being.
When asked about the barriers to eating breakfast, the top three reasons cited were lack of time (42%), lack of appetite in the morning (37%) and maintaining their weight (19%). To overcome these obstacles, 56% and 55% said making breakfast “more convenient and easy”, as well as having a “ready-made breakfast solution that helps provide all nutrients needed in the morning” are the two main motivation factors respectively.
“A healthy breakfast with balanced nutrition not only provides the much-needed nutrients for the day, but also has wide-ranging benefits in the long run, including supporting healthy metabolism, better brain health and improved weight management,” said Steven Chin, General Manager/ Director, Herbalife Malaysia. “For those who encounter obstacles in making breakfast a daily habit, one can easily overcome these obstacles by preparing something easy, convenient and fast such as a protein shake that will provide all the required nutrients to boost the mornings.”
