Breakfast consumption in UK schoolchildren and provision of school breakfast clubs

Abstract

SummaryBreakfast is known to confer benefits for children, including improvement in nutrient and weight status as well as cognitive performance. Reliable UK‐specific data regarding breakfast consumption patterns in schoolchildren and the provision of breakfast clubs in schools are limited, but are required to inform academics and policy makers alike. The aim of this study was to establish patterns in breakfast consumption in UK schoolchildren and to assess the current provision of breakfast clubs in England. Data were gathered by Childwise in June–July 2011. The large population representative sample included a total of 65 schools (38 primary and 27 secondary), from which 3311 children aged 5–15 years were surveyed at school regarding their breakfast consumption. Data regarding school breakfast club provision were collected from 2087 teachers via the National Foundation for Educational Research omnibus. The results indicated that 86% of children ate something before school (whether at home, on the way to school or at a school breakfast club). Of the remaining 14% of breakfast skippers, a third reported not eating anything until lunch time. The extent of breakfast skipping was higher in girls than boys, and higher in secondary than primary school pupils. Breakfast skipping also varied by UK region, such that the highest levels were evident in Scotland and the North West of England, and the lowest in the East of England. Within secondary schools, breakfast skipping was higher in schools from urban areas and areas of high deprivation. Of the 86% of children who did eat breakfast, 4% reported consuming it at a school breakfast club and a further 4% on the way to school. In contrast, 56% of schools in England were found to be operating a breakfast club at the time of survey, with greater availability at primary compared with secondary school. Overall, the findings suggest that breakfast skipping remains a considerable problem in UK schoolchildren, particularly in adolescents.