Breakfast consumption patterns of U.S. children and adolescents

Abstract

The Nationwide Food Consumption Survey was used to evaluate the breakfast consumption patterns of the U.S. child and adolescent population. Results indicated that breakfast skipping increased with age and was most prevalent among female adolescents. The sample was partitioned into four age/sex classes and by breakfast consumption patterns. The most popular breakfasts consumed by the sample populations were identified. Analyses of average dietary component intake levels of seven identified problem nutrients, i.e., pyridoxine, vitamin A, iron, calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc showed that omission of breakfast had a strong negative impact, particularly among female adolescents, on the quality of diets. Individuals who consumed readyto-eat (RTE) cereal at breakfast on a somewhat frequent basis had higher average daily intakes of the problem nutrients as well as higher average daily total sugars intakes. Highest average daily cholesterol intakes were evidenced for breakfast consumers not eating RTE cereal. No consistent relationship between breakfast consumption patterns and total daily intakes of fat and sodium were found. It was concluded that breakfast, particularly breakfasts containing RTE cereal, made a valuable contribution to the nutritional quality of the diets of children and adolescents.