[Survey of breakfast consumption status and its predictors among Qom students based on the Pender's health promotion model constructs]

ABSTRACT

Breakfast, considered to be the most important meal, is skipped more ferquently than other meals by children and adolescents. This study aimed to determine breakfast consumption and its predictors among Qom school girl students based on the Pender's health promotion model constructs. This descriptive-analytical study was carried out on 100 secondary school girl students selected by classified random sampling from among secondary schools of the City of Qom, Iran. The Pender's health promotion model [HPM] constructs were used as the theoretical framework. Data were collected using questionnaires. Statistical analysis of the data was performed by SPSS [version 17] software, the statistical tests being correlation and regression analysis. The average number of breakfasts consumed per week was 3 [ +/- 1.5]. Body mass index, time of waking up in the morning, and interpersonal influences had no significant correlations with the average number of breakfasts consumed per week. On the basis of the Pender's health promotion model constructs and personal factors having a potentially significant correlation with behavior, 69% of the variability in breakfast consumption by the girl students [R[2] =0.69, F =12.68, p< 0.0001] was predicted by the following variables prior related behaviors, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, and competing demands and preferences. In designing nutritional interventions aiming at increasing breakfast consumption in school girl students, it is better to put more emphasis on strategies to promote self-efficacy and reduce perceived barriers. Also, paying due attention to prior related behavior and competing demands and preferences can be beneficial in designing effective interventions: