Abstract
Breakfast is a vital meal that provides children with important nutrients and energy. This study examined the anthropometric, familial- and lifestyle-related characteristics of school children skipping breakfast. A total of 1149 children (boys: 45.5%), 6 to 12 years old (mean and SD: 9.3 ± 1.7 years), were randomly selected from elementary schools in Jeddah. Weight and height were measured. Breakfast eating frequency, socio-demographics, and lifestyle behaviors were assessed using a specifically designed self-report questionnaire reported by the parents. Nearly 80% of the children skipped daily breakfast at home with no significant age or gender differences. The most common reasons for skipping breakfast at home included not feeling hungry and waking up late for school. Fried egg sandwiches and breakfast cereals were most frequently consumed for breakfast. Strong parental support for breakfast as the main daily meal was significantly associated with daily breakfast intake. Logistic regression analyses, adjusted for age, gender, and socio-demographics, revealed that paternal education (aOR = 1.212, 95% CI = 1.020–1.440, p = 0.029), maternal education (aOR = 1.212, 95% CI = 1.003–1.464, p=0.046), insufficient sleep (aOR = 0.735, 95% CI = 0.567–0.951, p = 0.019), and BMI <25 kg/m2 (aOR = 1.333, 95% CI = 1.015–1.752, p = 0.039) were significantly associated with breakfast intake. The findings have implications for children’s health and school performance. Concerted effort is required to promote breakfast consumption among Saudi children.
Highlights
Childhood obesity continues to be a global public health concern, along with its associated rise in cardiometabolic complications [1]
Varied foods were consumed during breakfast by the Saudi children; fried egg sandwiches (48.1%), breakfast cereals (45.9%), and spread cheese sandwiches (41.3%) were the foods most frequently consumed for breakfast, followed by boiled egg sandwiches (27.7%), tuna sandwiches (25.8%), and Nutella sandwiches (25.0%)
CI = 1.003–1.464, p = 0.046), insufficient sleep duration, body mass index (BMI) status less than 25 kg/m2 were significantly associated higher frequency of breakfast intake. In another logistic regression model, we included the type of breakfast choices as independent variables and the results showed that the following breakfast choices were associated with breakfast intake: breakfast cereal, solid cheese sandwich, and hot dog
Summary
Childhood obesity continues to be a global public health concern, along with its associated rise in cardiometabolic complications [1]. Meta-analysis research and a systematic review revealed that childhood overweight or obesity tracks well into adulthood, with 55% of obese children becoming obese adolescents and 80% of obese adolescents remaining obese in adulthood [2]. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among school-aged children and adolescents has risen enormously over the past decades [3]. In Saudi Arabia, a recent study conducted in Riyadh indicated that the prevalence of overweight plus obesity among children 6–8 years old and 9–11 years old were 24.6% and 30.9%, respectively [4]. Well-recognized major modifiable determinants of childhood obesity include diet and physical activity [5]. Genetic factors may influence predisposition to obesity, a healthy—as
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