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The first wave included teenagers with ages between eleven and twenty-one starting with April until August 1996. The second wave watched the same adolescents group, from August 2001 to April 2002 and their ages were between eighteen and twenty-seven. During the five year period between the two waves, the number of overweight people increased to forty-seven percent from twenty-nine as the fast-food consumption increased and breakfast was neglected, according to lead author Heather Niemeier. Fast food consumption increased to about three days per week for young adults while the number of days when they eat breakfast decreased to three days per week from four-five in adolescence. Breakfast may be seen as an unnecessary meal and skipped by adolescents who work or go to college. Overeating is caused by skipping breakfast and it makes people choose unhealthy food that just fill them up, says Niemeier. Excess weight from adolescence was associated with health problems from adulthood such as: fasting insulin, systolic blood pressure, increased level of HDL-cholesterol, and risks for heart disease.
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