Breakfast Skipping, Related Factors, and Nutrients Intake of 5th Grade Students / 가정의학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Breakfast consumption is related not only with foods and nutrients intake, but also obesity, chronic diseases, school performance, and cognitive function. This study is to assess factors associated with breakfast skipping and its effects on food and nutrients intake in 5th grade children from the obesity and metabolic disorders cohort. METHODS: BMI percentile was used as an obesity index. Overnight fasting blood was collected to measure blood lipids, and glucose level. Dietary habits and physical activity levels were assessed with a self-filled questionnaire. If a student said "yes" to the question, "Have you taken all breakfast during previous seven days?," he or she was considered as 'breakfast consumer,' if a respondent said "no," he or she was considered as 'breakfast skipper.' Nutrients intake was estimated from a three-day 24-hour recall including two weekdays and one weekend. RESULTS: Among 1,536 students, 30.1% (n = 235) of boys and 31.3% (n = 231) of girls were the breakfast skipper. The breakfast skippers were more obese (P = 0.011), from families with lower household income (P = 0.037), went to bed late (P = 0.001), had a longer screen time (P = 0.003) than breakfast consumers. All macronutrients intake and the adequacy of micronutrients (iron, zinc, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin C, niacin, and folate) intake were lower in breakfast skipper. CONCLUSION: The breakfast skipping was associated with a lower socioeconomic state and a longer screen time. We confirmed breakfast skipping is a risk factor of nutrients deficiency (quantity) and is also related with food intake quality.