Oatmeal-Containing Breakfast is Associated with Better Diet Quality and Higher Intake of Key Food Groups and Nutrients Compared to Other Breakfasts in Children.

Victor L Fulgoni,Lisa Fleige,Yifang Chu,Mary Brauchla

doi:10.3390/nu11050964

Abstract

Oatmeal is a whole grain (WG) food rich in fiber and other nutrients. The study objective was to compare diet quality and nutrient intake of children consuming oatmeal breakfasts to those of children consuming other breakfasts using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011–2014. Dietary intake data from 5876 children aged 2–18 years were divided by breakfast food consumption: oatmeal breakfasts, “Doughnuts, sweet rolls, pastries”, “Pancakes, waffles, French toast”, “Eggs and omelets”, “Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar”, and “Ready-to-eat cereal, higher sugar” were used to assess diet quality and intake of food groups and nutrients using the USDA Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015), Food Patterns Equivalents Database, and Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies, respectively. As compared to consumers of other breakfasts or breakfast skippers, oatmeal consumers had consistently higher diet quality (4–16 points higher HEI 2015 total score, p < 0.05), higher WG intake (0.6–1.6 oz eq. higher, p < 0.05), and higher fiber and magnesium intakes compared to consumers of most other breakfasts or breakfast skippers. The results show that children consuming oatmeal breakfasts have better diet quality and increased intake of key nutrients compared to breakfast skippers and other breakfast consumers and suggest oatmeal may represent an important component of a healthy childhood diet.

Highlights

Dietary guidelines around the world unequivocally recommend increasing the consumption of whole grain
We did detect significant differences in mean age, ethnicity, poverty income ratio, and physical activity between children who consumed different breakfasts, indicating the need to use these variables as covariates in subsequent analyses
We further found that child consumers of oatmeal breakfasts had a 30% higher diet quality (HEI 2015 total score), as compared to those who skipped breakfast (Table 2)

Summary

Introduction

Dietary guidelines around the world unequivocally recommend increasing the consumption of whole grain. The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) [1] indicate that all Americans should consume half or more of their total grains as whole grains. Despite these guidelines, nearly 100% of the U.S population across all age and gender groups does not meet the goal for whole grain intake [2]. A 40 g serving of oats provides 152 calories, 5.3 g of protein, 27 g of carbohydrate, and 4 g of dietary fiber, and this grain is a good source of B vitamins and minerals [8].

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Discussion

Conclusion