Breakfast Consumption Research Articles

Impacts of parental breakfast consumption literacy on children's home breakfast consumption.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between parental breakfast consumption literacy and their children's home breakfast consumption. Methods: This study, employing a cross-sectional design, conducted in September 2021, consisted of a total of 275 children aged 6-7 years and 275 parents. One-way analysis of variance and independent-sample t-test were applied to compare children's home breakfast consumption amongst sub-groups. The relationship between parental breakfast consumption literacy and children's home breakfast consumption was assessed utilising multiple linear regression models controlling for socio-demographic factors. All data were analysed by the software of R Commander. Results: Parents with inadequate breakfast consumption literacy had less children's home breakfast consumption (p = 0.006), such relationship (p = 0.002, 95% CI: 4.76-7.65) had significance controlling for socio-demographic factors. Living in urban areas (p = 0.006, 95% CI: 6.43-9.92), parental unemployment (p = 0.004, 95% CI: 5.47-9.43), and low parental educational level (p = 0.005, 95% CI: 2.34-4.76) were significantly associated with less children's home breakfast consumption. Conclusion: Adequate parental breakfast consumption literacy was associated with more children's home breakfast consumption. Parental-based health education interventions show promise in promoting home breakfast consumption in the family setting. Residential status, parental level of education, and parental employment were associated with children's home breakfast consumption. Future research should understand more about the experiences and contexts of children's home breakfast consumption within the family environments, with a focus on employing qualitative approaches.

Combined effect of eating speed instructions and food texture modification on eating rate, appetite and later food intake

Modifying food texture and eating slowly each reduce appetite and energy intake. No study has evaluated the effect of combining these measures to slow eating speed and determine the effect on appetite. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a combined effect of manipulating oral processing behaviours (OPBs) in this manner on self-reported satiety and subsequent food intake. A 2 × 2 design was used with four breakfast conditions in total. Twenty-four participants attended four study visits where they were asked to consume one of two isocaloric fixed-portion breakfasts differing in texture: 1) granola with milk and 2) yogurt with muesli and conserve. Participants consumed each breakfast twice, with verbal instructions to chew slowly at one visit and at a normal rate at another. Consumption was video-recorded to behaviourally code OPBs. Participants completed visual analogue scales of self-reported appetite measures at the beginning of the test session, immediately prior to and immediately after breakfast consumption. They also completed a food diary documenting food intake for the remainder of the day. The breakfast designed to be eaten slowest (the harder-textured meal with instructions to eat slowly) was eaten at a slower rate, with a greater number of chews per bite and a slower bite rate (p < 0.001) compared to the other meals. No differences were observed between the breakfast conditions on subjective measures of post-prandial satiety, or subsequent energy or macronutrient consumption. Results of this study highlight that combined effects of texture and instructions are most effective at reducing eating rate, though eating slower was not shown to enhance post-meal satiety. Reduced eating speed has previously been shown to reduce ad-libitum energy intake. Future research should consider combined approaches to reduce eating speed, to mitigate the risk of overconsumption within meals.

Systematic Breakfast Consumption of Medium-Quantity and High-Quality Food Choices Is Associated with Better Vascular Health in Individuals with Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors

Breakfast consumption has been associated with the improvement of many cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, yet data regarding its association with subclinical vascular damage, which precedes the onset of CVD, are scarce. The aim of this study is to investigate this association in a large sample of adults with CVD risk factors. Anthropometric measurements, vascular biomarkers and dietary intake with two 24-h dietary recalls, focusing on breakfast frequency and its quantity and content, were assessed in 902 adults (45.2% males). Breakfast quality was assessed by identifying a posteriori breakfast dietary pattern (DP) by using principal component analysis (PCA). Systematic breakfast consumption (SBC) was inversely associated with central systolic blood pressure (b: -3.28, 95% C.I.: -5.7 to -0.86), diastolic blood pressure (b: -1.85, 95% C.I.: -3.34 to -0.36), augmentation index (b: -3.17, 95% C.I.:-4.98 to 1.35) and left carotid intima media thickness (b: -0.03, 95% C.I.:-0.06 to -0.01) compared to breakfast skipping independently of age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking, and BMI. SBC of 10-20% of daily total energy intake (dTEI) was inversely associated with Aix (b: -2.31, 95% C.I.:-4.05 to -0.57) compared to <10% dTEI after adjustment for the aforementioned confounders. DP1 (high coffee and sugar consumption, low consumption of low- and full-fat dairy products, fruits, and fresh juices) was positively associated with Aix (b: 1.19, 95% C.I.: 0.48 to 1.90). SBC comprised of medium-energy density and high-nutrient content food items may be a simple daily habit associated with better vascular health.

Prevalence of Breakfast Skippers among Tunisian Preschool and School Children and Association with Weight Status: A Cross-Sectional Study

Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day. This study aimed to assess breakfast frequency and quality in Tunisian children and to determine the relationship between breakfast skipping and the weight status of the children. A total of 1200 preschool and school children aged 3 to 9 years were randomly selected under a cross-sectional design. Breakfast habits and socio-economic characteristics were collected using a questionnaire. Participants who consumed breakfast less than five times the previous week were categorized as breakfast skippers. The other breakfast consumers were considered as non-skippers. The overall prevalence of breakfast skipping in Tunisian children was 8.3% and 83% of them consumed breakfast all the weekdays. At least two out of three children had a poor breakfast quality. Only 1% of children consumed breakfast in accordance with the composition guidelines. No relationships between breakfast skipping and weight status were detected in this study after adjustment for age, sex and all socio-economic factors (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 0.72-1.89, p = 0.541). Further school-based interventions should be implemented to improve breakfast quality and to promote a healthy weight in Tunisian children.

Changes in Student's Breakfast and Snack Consumption during the Second COVID-19 Lockdown in Portugal: A Five-Wave Study.

The circumstances of the COVID-19 lockdown affected many students' life spheres, including their feeding patterns and snack intake. The main goals of the present study were to: (a) analyze the changes in students' breakfast and snacking consumption during lockdown, and (b) analyze changes in the content of the students' snacks using the Healthy Eating Index. This study analyzed data from a sample of 726 students from 36 classes from the late elementary (i.e., fifth grade) through high school (i.e., twelfth grade) from two public schools in the north of Portugal. Data were collected in five moments during the 2020/2021 school year, pre-, during, and post-second lockdown moments. Throughout the five moments, almost 90% of the students ate breakfast, and the majority brought snacks from home to eat in school. Surprisingly, there was an increase in the quality of the snacks consumed during lockdown compared to the pre-lockdown moments (e.g., consumption of more whole and total fruits and less consumption of food with added sugar, saturated fats, refined grains, and fatty acids). Suggestions for healthy behavior promotion will be discussed, such as improving the school food environment and teaching children to prepare healthy lunch boxes.

Frequency of Consuming Breakfast Meals and After-Dinner Snacks Is not Associated with Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk: Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study

BackgroundThere has been little investigation into how the timing of meals and eating occasions associates with postmenopausal breast cancer risk. ObjectiveWe examined the association between the frequency of consuming breakfast meals and after-dinner snacks with the risk for postmenopausal breast cancer. MethodsA prospective analysis of 74,825 postmenopausal women aged 49 to 81 y from the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study cohort. Breakfast and after-dinner snack intake were assessed at year 1 examination. Risk for invasive and in situ breast cancer diagnosed before 28 February 2020 was modeled with multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models according to breakfast and after-dinner snack consumption frequencies. The models were adjusted for age, self-identified race/ethnicity, education, income, physical activity, smoking, alcohol intake, diet quality score (Healthy Eating Index 2015), energy intake, diabetic status, hormone therapy, and BMI. ResultsDuring the follow-up period, 5313 participants were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and 1197 participants with in situ breast cancer. Compared with participants who did not eat breakfast, those with daily breakfast consumption was not associated with invasive breast cancer (HR: 1.04; 95% CI: 0.9, 1.19) nor in situ (HR: 1.25; 95% CI: 0.91, 1.74) breast cancer. There were monotonic higher point estimates of in situ breast cancer for each higher category of breakfast intake from 0 to 7 times per week (P-trend = 0.04, Wald test). Compared with consumption of daily after-dinner snacks, avoidance of after-dinner snacks was not associated with invasive breast cancer (HR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.87, 1.08) nor in situ (HR: 1.12; 95% CI: 0.89, 1.42) breast cancer. ConclusionsThere was no association between intake frequency of breakfast meals or after-dinner snack habits and with risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

Breakfast Dietary Patterns among Mexican Children Are Related to Total-Day Diet Quality

Background: Mexico has experienced shifts in food availability and consumption patterns over the past few decades from traditional diets to those containing more high-energy density foods, resulting in the development of unhealthful dietary patterns among children and adults. However, to our knowledge it is not known whether breakfast consumption patterns contribute to the overall daily diet of Mexican children.Objective: We examined total-day diet among breakfast consumers compared with breakfast skippers, identified and investigated breakfast dietary patterns in relation to energy and nutrient intakes at breakfast and across the day, and examined these patterns in relation to sociodemographic characteristics.Methods: With the use of nationally representative dietary data (one 24-h recall) from the 2012 Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey, 3760 children aged 4-13 y were categorized into mutually exclusive breakfast patterns with the use of cluster analysis. The association between breakfast patterns and breakfast skippers with dietary intake at breakfast and for the total day was investigated with the use of multivariate linear regression.Results: Most children (83%) consumed breakfast. Six breakfast dietary patterns were identified (milk and sweetened breads, tortillas and beans, sweetened beverages, sandwiches and quesadillas, eggs, and cereal and milk) and reflected both traditional and more Westernized dietary patterns. Sugar-sweetened beverages were consumed across all patterns. Compared with all breakfast dietary patterns, breakfast skippers had the lowest intake of several nutrients of public health concern. Nutrients to limit that were high at breakfast tended to be high for the total day and vice versa for nutrients to encourage.Conclusions: There was not a single pattern that complied perfectly with the Mexican School Breakfast Guidelines, but changes such as increasing dietary fiber by encouraging more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans and reducing sodium and sugar-sweetened beverages could support compliance with these targets and improve overall diet quality.

The Factors Affecting The Occurrence of Obesity in College Students

Obesity is a physical condition that can lead to health disorder. An increase in body mass index can be a risk factor for some non-communicable diseases, among which are cardiovascular diseases. College students are among the people with high risk of obesity. This review aims to describe factors that can cause obesity and hence the increasing risk of cardiovascular diseases in college students. We first collected 608 studies associated with our review and then selected 9 studies that highly correlate to our specific purpose. We evaluated each selected study for its quality and risk of bias using STROBE. We then conducted data extraction of each study. It can be concluded from the results of data extraction that even though there are various factors contributing to the occurence of obesity in college students, skipping breakfast and high snack consumption have a close relationship with the occurence. In addition, inadequate physical activity and high calorie diet also contribute to its occurence. Finally, smoking is also associated with the occurence of obesity, that can lead to the increasing risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Dietary patterns and physical activity among Palestinian female schoolchildren in East Jerusalem

Aim: This study aims to assess the Palestinian girls’ dietary habits and physical activity patterns as a baseline for intervention. Methods: A cross-sectional study of grade 4 and 5 pupils (mean age: 11 years) in 14 all-girl schools in East Jerusalem, of four different types of school ownership (overall N=897), was conducted, using self-administered questionnaires and height and weight measurements. Logistic regressions were conducted to determine predictors of healthy behaviours. Results: Only 36.6% of the pupils reported eating breakfast daily, with UNRWA schools having the highest rate of daily breakfast consumption (42.6%). About 28% reported eating the recommended daily quantity of five portions of fruits and vegetables. Only 15% of the pupils reported being active at least five days a week and more than one third of the schoolchildren viewed TV for ≥4 hours a day. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 22.2% and 7.6%, respectively, with private schools having the highest rates, 29.6% and 12.8% respectively (P=0.001). Additional predictors of overweight and obesity were: being the first child in the family, watching TV for more than four hours a day, always eating while watching TV and being physically active less than five days a week. Conclusions: Most Palestinian pupils miss breakfast, eat less fruits and vegetables than recommended and have sedentary behaviours. These findings raise serious concerns and point to the urgent need for tailored interventions. Source of funding: This study is a part of Ph.D. degree. Maha Nubani-Husseini received a scholarship from Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). She thanks Nutrition and Health Research Institute Al-Quds University for funding part of the research. The Linda Joy Pollin Cardiovascular Wellness Center for Women at the Division of Cardiology of Hadassah University Medical Center, directed by Dr. Donna Zfat funded the mothers’ activities and lectures towards the end of the intervention, as well as the implementation of the programme at the control schools one year after the study ended, as they were promised when they got selected. Acknowledgments: The authors thank the participating schools, the Palestinian Ministry of Education, the UNRWA Office of Education and Jerusalem Municipality for facilitating fieldwork. Their gratitude also goes to Mr. Radwan Qasrawi (Al-Quds University), Dr. Marrio Baras and Dr. Deena Jaffeh (Hebrew University) for statistical support, and to Mrs. Suzy Daher for editing.

Food Behaviours and Health Indicators in Manitoba Adolescents and Relation to the Healthy Eating Index.

Adolescence is a vital period of growth and development, both of which are dependent on adequate nutrition; however, concerns persist about poor nutrition and inappropriate food behaviours. In addition to nutrition assessment, the context of food and health behaviour is necessary to understand how dietary choices are shaped and related to diet quality. This study describes food-related behaviours and health indicators associated with dietary quality among adolescents in Manitoba, Canada. A stratified two-stage sampling method was used to collect data on the diet, food behaviours and health indicators of 1587 grade nine students. Diet quality was analysed using the Healthy Eating Index-Canada. Several food behaviours and health indicators varied by gender and school region (urban, rural, northern). The Independent Samples t-test and one-way ANOVA (analysis of variance) assessed differences between groups on the Healthy Eating Index-Canada. Higher Healthy Eating Index-Canada scores were found for those eating family dinners more frequently; consuming breakfast and lunch more frequently; consuming breakfast at home; eating lunch and morning snacks at school; purchasing fewer meals and snacks from cafeterias and vending machines; believing that food and nutrition education is important; not attempting to lose weight; being classified as 'healthy weight'; and getting more sleep. Many Manitoba youth are exhibiting food and health behaviours that increase their risk of having a poor diet.

Serum concentrations of amino acids and tryptophan metabolites are affected by consumption of a light breakfast: a clinical intervention study in adults with overweight or obesity

BackgroundEpidemiological studies often investigate amino acids and their metabolites as biomarkers, but do not always consistently use fasting or non-fasting blood samples, or may lack information on the prandial status of the study participants. Since little information is available on the effects of the prandial status on many biomarkers, and since blood is typically sampled early in the day with participants in a fasting state or after having consumed a light meal in many trials, the main purpose of this study was to investigate the short-term effects of a light breakfast on serum concentrations of amino acids and related metabolites.MethodsBlood was collected from sixty-three healthy adults (36 women) in the fasting state and at set times for 120 min after intake of a light breakfast with low protein content (14 g protein, 2218 kJ). Relative changes in serum biomarker concentrations from fasting to postprandial serum concentrations were tested using T test.ResultsThe serum concentrations of 13 of the 20 measured amino acids were significantly changed 60 min following breakfast intake, with the most marked effects seen as increases in alanine (34%) and proline (45%) concentrations. The response did not reflect the amino acid composition of the breakfast. The concentrations of seven kynurenine metabolites were significantly decreased after breakfast.ConclusionConsumption of a light breakfast affected serum concentrations of several amino acids and related metabolites, underlining the importance of having information regarding the participants’ prandial state at the time of blood sampling in studies including these biomarkers.Trial registrationThis trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02350595 (registered January 2015).

Breakfast intake and associated factors and barriers among tertiary institution students in the Western Region, Ghana

BackgroundBreakfast is considered the day’s most important meal. Skipping breakfast consumption is detrimental to health and intellectual performance. University life has tight schedules and rigorous intellectual activities often very early in the morning. This study aimed at assessing breakfast intake and its associated factors among the students of Takoradi Technical University (TTU).MethodsThis was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Data was collected from 347 students in TTU using pre-tested questionnaire. Data collected were analysed using STATA v17. It employed descriptive and inferential statistics such as logistic regression. P-value less than 0.05 was set as statistical significance at 95% confidence interval.ResultsRegular breakfast was taken by 35.7% of the students. Higher odds of regular breakfast intake were found among respondents aged 25–29 years (AOR = 3.13, 95%CI = 1.57–6.24) and those who buy their breakfast (AOR = 5.13, 95%CI = 2.16–12.19). However, lower odds of regular breakfast consumption were found among respondents who were females (AOR = 0.40, 95%CI = 0.18–0.85). Barriers to regular breakfast intake included negative mood, insufficient funds, health condition, weight management, religious reasons such as fasting, limited time/unfavourable academic schedules, daily activities/workload, and cost of food on campus.ConclusionThe study stressed on the need for external and personal factors such as sex, age, religion, limited time/unfavourable academic schedules among others that hinder habitual breakfast intake to be addressed adopting innovative approach such as peer education and campaigns. University management should implement favourable policies on academic schedules, canteens/cafeterias, less stringent regulation on cooking at halls of residence.

Ready-to-eat cereal is an affordable breakfast option associated with better nutrient intake and diet quality in the US population.

Results from observational studies have reported ready-to-eat cereal (RTEC) consumers have higher dietary quality and nutrient intake compared to consumers of non-RTEC breakfasts or those who do not eat breakfast. Yet, there have been few investigations on the relationship of RTEC to meal costs at breakfast and across the day, which may be one reason some consumers choose to not consume breakfast. The objective of this study is to evaluate the contribution of RTEC consumed at breakfast to nutrient intake and adequacy, diet quality and meal costs in a nationally representative sample of children and adults in the US. Dietary data from 2,259 children (2-18 years) and 4,776 adults (≥19 years) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2018 were evaluated to compare nutrient intake, adequacy, dietary quality, and food costs in RTEC breakfast consumers, non-RTEC breakfast consumers and those who did not consume breakfast. RTEC breakfast consumers made up 28% of children and 12% of adults. Children and adults consuming RTEC for breakfast had higher intakes of carbohydrate, dietary fiber, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, potassium, B vitamins, vitamins A and D, whole grains, and total dairy compared to consumers of non-RTEC breakfast or no breakfast. There were no differences by breakfast status for sodium, saturated fat, or added sugar, except adults consuming RTEC had lower added sugar intake compared to those who did not consume breakfast. RTEC breakfast consumers were also more likely to meet estimated average requirements (EAR) for intake of several nutrients and had overall higher dietary quality. For children, breakfast meal costs were less for RTEC breakfast compared to non-RTEC breakfast, but total daily meal costs were similar for consumers of RTEC and non-RTEC breakfasts. RTEC breakfasts may contribute to greater nutrient intake and diet quality in children and adults in the US without increasing total daily meal costs.

Investigating Breakfast Consumption by Female Students of Herat University

Background: One of the factors that has a strong and undeniable relationship with the learning and academic progress of students is proper nutrition, including eating breakfast. Consuming a suitable and nutritious breakfast provides enough energy and protein during the students' presence in the class and helps their concentration and learning power a lot. Materials and Methods: This research was conducted with the aim of investigating the amount of breakfast consumed by female students of Herat University in the spring of 1401, and the data was collected by a standard questionnaire including two parts of demographic characteristics and specialized questions about the status of breakfast consumption. Using Cochran's formula software to select the sample size in the known population. Based on that 384 students from different faculties were randomly selected by stratified sampling methods and questionnaires were distributed, and the data were analyzed using Excel software. Findings: The results of the research showed that the majority of female students of Herat University (67.97%) said that they did not eat breakfast every day, and only 32.03% of the students ate breakfast every day, which was very low, As the majority of students stated that unawailability of breakfast, waking up late, and the lack of variety of breakfast were the reasons for not consuming it. They also mentioned that bread and tea, dairy products, sweets and other items are used as their breakfast respectively. Conclusion: According to the findings of this research, most of the students of Herat University did not eat breakfast even though it is considered as an important meal, so there is a need to raise the level of students' knowledge about the importance of this valuable meal.

Breakfast Skipping and Determinant Factors among Moroccan School Adolescents (12–19 Years): The Case of Beni Mellal City

Introduction: Breakfast skipping is an unhealthy eating behavior reportedly common among adolescents. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with breakfast skipping among schoolchildren aged 12–19 years in Beni Mellal city, Morocco, and to assist in the design of interventions to improve breakfast consumption habits of school-aged children in this region. Methods: A school-based cross-sectional study was carried out. A total of 550 children were included in the study. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with skipping breakfast consumption. The association between dependent and independent variables was assessed using an odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval and p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Among 550 Moroccan adolescents evaluated, 25.6% reported not consuming breakfast every day. Breakfast eating was statistically associated with gender (OR = 7.13 [95% CI 1.32–3.84], p = 0.008); mother’s low educational level (OR = 2.86 [95% CI 1.89–4.71], p = 0.091); nonworking mothers (OR = 13.71 [95% CI 1.16–5.29], p < 0.001); not eating between meals (OR = 15.49 [95% CI 2.15–5.49], p < 0.001); eating dinner regularly each day (OR = 17.79 [95% CI 2.81–8.01], p = 0.005); eating vegetables 1–3 times per week (OR = 10.21 [95% CI 1.44–4.67], p = 0.001); consuming milk and dairy product 1–3 times per week (OR = 13.88 [95% CI 1.59–5.56], p < 0.001); and never consuming sodas and soft drink in week (OR = 3.12 [95% CI 1.90–4.50], p = 0.003). Conclusions: This study revealed that the prevalence of skipping breakfast consumption among school-aged children in Beni Mellal city was high. Thus, the findings suggest a community health education program, conducted by school nurses, nutritionists, and other health professionals, is needed.

Correlation of Dyspepsia with the type of First Meal of the Day; Breakfast or Brunch: A Cross-Sectional Study from Karachi Pakistan

Background: Breakfast skipping is traditionally viewed as a bad habit. The customary choice for those who skip breakfast is brunch. Changes in gastrointestinal function are correlated with a range of dietary factors. Objective: To evaluate the correlation of the type of first meal of the day with dyspepsia among patients visiting gastroenterology clinics with dyspeptic symptoms. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Gastroenterology, Liaquat National Hospital from August 2021 to April 2022. Short-Form Leeds Dyspepsia Questionnaire was used to identify the presence of dyspepsia (SF-LDQ). Breakfast was defined as the meal consumed in the morning and any beverages or food taken in the morning before 11:00 a.m. regularly in a week. Data were analyzed using the statistical package SPSS version 21. Results: A total sample of 390 patients were analyzed in this study with median age and duration of symptoms 35 (IQR=26-42) years 12 (IQR=8-24) months respectively. The frequency of breakfast skipping was 15.6%. The frequency of dyspeptic symptoms including indigestion, heartburn, regurgitation, and nausea was significantly higher among patients taking brunch as the first meal of the day than those who were having breakfast regularly. The frequency of dyspepsia was 75.1%. On univariate and multivariable analysis, the practice of consuming breakfast regularly was found to be associated with a lower risk of dyspepsia than those who were consuming brunch as the first meal of the day. Conclusion: The current study analyzed that type of first meal was significantly associated with dyspepsia. The frequency of dyspeptic symptoms was significantly higher among patients taking brunch at least once a week than patients who were regularly consuming breakfast.

Breakfast Eating Habits and their Association with Academic Performance: A Cross-sectional Study among Medical Students

Introduction: Breakfast has long been considered the most important meal of the day, yet the frequency of breakfast consumption has declined in recent decades. Adequate breakfast habits are related to optimal physiological, psychological, and social health. Aim: To assess the breakfast eating habits of medical students and find the association between breakfast habits and academic performance. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, observational study was carried out in the Department of Physiology at Shaheed Hasan Khan Mewati (SHKM) Government Medical College, Nuh, Haryana, India. The duration of the study was three months from July 2022 to September 2022. A total of 350 apparently healthy medical undergraduates from the second year to final year participated in the study. Breakfast eating patterns and other characteristics of the morning meal consumed by participants were assessed using a structured proforma. Participants were divided into three groups (regular, irregular, and skippers) based on the frequency of breakfast consumption. Academic performance was assessed based on the aggregate marks (%) obtained in the university examination. Data were compiled and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to compare academic performance (% marks) among the breakfast groups, and the relationship between the aforementioned variables was determined using Pearson’s Chi-square test. A p-value of &lt;0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 20.95±1.10 years. Present study showed that only around one-third, 121 (34.6%) students ate breakfast regularly (6-7 days/week), while the remaining either consumed it irregularly or skipped it altogether. A significant association (p=0.02) was found between breakfast habits and academic performance, with regular breakfast eaters performing better compared to skippers. Conclusion: Irregular consumption of breakfast is quite prevalent among medical students. Poor time management emerged as the main reason for this behaviour. Breakfast habits may influence academic performance, but it warrants further investigation using a multivariate approach.

The Effect of Dietary Protein Quality on Short-Term Satiety and Daily Energy Intake

Introduction: Some protein structures in the structure of foods are known to provide long-lasting satiety. Depending on the food source, this period of satiety can be shortened or lengthened. It has been reported that in diets for treating obesity in which long-term satiety is a goal, animal-derived proteins can help people feel fuller for longer. This study aimed to examine the effects on satiety markers after breakfast of consuming breakfast foods prepared with different protein sources. Materials and Methods: The study included 40 participants but concluded with 39 participants. Sixteen males and 23 females participated in the research. The participants in the study were randomly assigned to begin the investigation. After 12 hours of fasting, the study participants were offered two breakfasts on separate days. Two distinct breakfasts consisting of foods of animal origin and foods of vegetable origin were served. Results: The breakfasts had similar calories, protein, fat, carbohydrates, and fiber. Before and after breakfast, a VAS scale with seven satiety markers was created and applied. The scale was applied 0 minutes before breakfast, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 120 minutes, and 180 minutes after breakfast. After breakfast, it was observed that the satiety markers of animal origin had a longer duration and higher scores than those of plant origin. Conclusion: In cases where energy restriction is necessary, it has been determined that increasing the protein quality in the foods consumed can provide long-term satiety regardless of the amount consumed.

Effect of skipping breakfast on cognition and learning in young adults

Introduction and Aim: Consumption of breakfast has been commonly associated with cognitive parameters among school children and adolescents. The current cross-sectional study was conducted with the aim to investigate the effect of breakfast consumption/omission on cognitive functioning and learning among young adults.&#x0D; &#x0D; Materials and Methods: Sixty college-going students, divided into two groups such as breakfast consumers and breakfast skippers were asked to fill a physical condition-based study questionnaire. The results of which were assessed along with the performances given in a collective cognition-based task. The obtained data was retained and later analyzed by GraphPad Prism (version 5).&#x0D; &#x0D; Results: The overall performance, attentiveness, response time and alertness were significantly higher among the college-going breakfast consumers when compared to breakfast skippers thereby highlighting the importance of daily consumption of breakfast among young adults.&#x0D; &#x0D; Conclusion: Breakfast consumption is of paramount importance among college going students, omission of which could influence cognitive performances and behavioral aspects. Hence, academic programs should promote nutritionally balanced breakfast consumption among college students.

Prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle among children and adolescents of Han nationality in China

Objective: To explore the epidemiological characteristics and geographical distribution of unhealthy lifestyle among children and adolescents of Han nationality in China and obtain evidence for proposing the related strategies to improve the well-being of this population. Methods: Students aged 6-22 years old were selected from the Chinese National Survey on Students Constitution and Health in 2019. The prevalence of unhealthy lifestyles (physical inactivity, lack of outdoor activity, sedentary behavior, excessive screen time, sleep insufficiency, unhealthy eating behavior) between sex, residence, and age groups was calculated and compared. Multilevel logistic regression was used to explore the influencing factors of unhealthy lifestyle. Results: The prevalence of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity less than 1 h/d or 30 min/d were 82.06% and 54.69%, respectively. The prevalence of less than 2 h/d or 3 h/d of outdoor activities were 95.20% and 83.26%, respectively. The prevalence of more than 2 h/d or 3 h/d of sitting time were 50.64% and 31.92%, respectively. The prevalence of more than 2 h/d or 3 h/d of screen time were 42.02% and 27.79%, respectively. The prevalence of sleep insufficiency, excessive sugary beverages consumption (≥ 1 time/d), and insufficient consumption of eggs, milk, and breakfast (<7 d/week) were 66.49%, 20.97%, 83.36%, 70.71%, and 34.34%, respectively. The prevalence of severe sleep insufficiency, excessive sugary beverages consumption (≥ 3 times/d), and insufficient consumption of eggs, milk, and breakfast (≤2 d/week) were 27.77%, 8.21%, 47.21%, 32.36% and 9.73%, respectively. Conclusion: In 2019, unhealthy lifestyle is common among Han students aged 6-22 years in China. It is of importance to propose policies to strengthen the health education and initiatives to support healthy behaviors in Han children and adolescents. Jointly promotion on the creation of a healthy environment for Han children and adolescents, and formulation of targeted improvement measures in accordance with the epidemic characteristics in various regions are essential to improve the healthy lifestyle of this population.