Breakfast consumption trends (2001–2010) by age and ethnicity: Findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Abstract

Past studies have shown that eating breakfast is associated with positive health outcomes, including improved nutrient intake and healthy body weight. The composition of breakfast is also important; for example, past work showed that eating ready‐to‐eat (RTE) cereal for breakfast is associated with more favorable daily nutrient intake and body weight, compared with other types of breakfast. Most past research on this topic was done using data collected prior to 2000, using samples that were not always ethnically diverse. The present study examined trends in breakfast consumption across 2001–2010, utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The sample with reliable Day‐1 food records was large (n=41,051, ages ≥4) and ethnically diverse (30% Hispanic, 42% White, 24% African American, 4% other race/ethnicity). Across 2001–2010, rates of eating RTE cereal breakfast and skipping breakfast remained fairly stable, while rates of eating other types of foods for breakfast (e.g., coffee/tea/cola, eggs) showed increasing trends. White participants were most likely to consume cereal for breakfast, but only after age 12 – between ages 4–12, all ethnicities showed high rates of cereal breakfast consumption. Also, African American and Hispanic 4–12‐year‐olds consumed more milk with cereal at breakfast than did other ethnicities. At all ages, African Americans were more likely than other ethnicities to skip breakfast. The results indicate that the composition of breakfast has changed across recent years. Marked ethnic differences in breakfast consumption require further investigation.