Frequency Of Skipping Breakfast Research Articles

Efficacy of an integrated program (PIA-2) to reduce the risk for problems related to eating, weight and body image in female adolescents from Argentina.

This study aimed to examine the efficacy of an integrated program (PIA-2) to reduce the risk for problems related to eating, weight and body image in female adolescents from Argentina. A quasi-experimental study was conducted by comparing an experimental group versus a control group. The final sample included 509 girls aged 13-18 (M= 15.39 and SD= 1.30) from nine schools located in three geographical regions. They provided data at three assessment time points: baseline, post-intervention and a 3-month follow-up. Dependent variables included skipping breakfast, physical activity, eating disorder risk and thin-ideal internalization. The program was carried out in three 90-minute sessions within usual school hours, at 1-week intervals. Participants who received the intervention decreased more than the control group in skipping breakfast month by month. However, a significant effect of the intervention was not found on physical activity, eating disorder risk, and thin-ideal internalization. The presence of mixed findings shows the need to adjust the intervention to enhance the results. The importance of working jointly with other Latin American countries is emphasized, in order to promote the growth of the field of prevention, regarding cultural particularities shared by our societies. Integrated programs aimed at reducing risk factors for the entire spectrum of problems related to eating, weight and body image could lead to beneficial and more efficient effects. However, their development is still incipient in Latin America. PIA-2 Program, designed for female adolescents, produced positive results in one of the four variables studied, decreasing the weekly frequency of skipping breakfast among adolescents. This is pioneering research in Argentina and the region since very few studies on integrated prevention have been published in Latin America. It is crucial to continue with efforts aimed at developing programs that are suited to the specific needs of the population of Latin American countries. In this aspect, our study is undoubtedly an important contribution.

Eating Habits and Lifestyles during the Initial Stage of the COVID-19 Lockdown in China: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Due to the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Chinese government implemented strict lockdown measures to control the spread of infection. The impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on eating habits and lifestyles in the general population is unclear. This cross-sectional study was conducted via an online survey to obtain an overview of the food access, food intake, and physical activity of Chinese residents during the initial stage of the COVID-19 lockdown, and to investigate the association between staying at home/working from home and changes in eating habits and lifestyles. A total of 2702 participants (70.7% women) were included. Most of the participants maintained their habitual diet, while 38.2% increased their snack intake, 54.3% reported reduced physical activity, and 45.5% had increased sleep duration. Most people (70.1%) reported no change in body weight, while 25.0% reported an increase. Always staying at home/working from home was associated with an increase in animal product, vegetable, fruit, mushroom, nut, water, and snack intake, as well as sleep duration and frequency of skipping breakfast (odds ratio (OR) 1.54, 1.62, 1.58, 1.53, 1.57, 1.52, 1.77, 2.29, and 1.76 respectively). Suggestions should be made to encourage people to reduce their snack intake, maintain the daily consumption of breakfast, and increase physical activity during future lockdown periods.

Questionnaire study of the dietary habits of breast cancer survivors and their relationship to quality of life (KROG 14-09)

We evaluated the dietary habits of breast cancer survivors and investigated the relationship with quality of life (QoL), with 1,156 survivors recruited from 17 institutions. We used the Questionnaire Survey of Dietary Habits of Korean Adults (Q-DH-KOR) comprising 25 questions. The following indices were derived as follows: (1) quality of healthy dietary habits (Q-HD)-eight questions on number of meals, regularity, quantity, duration, skipping breakfast, dinner with companion(s), overeating and late-night snacks; (2) habits of nutritional balance (H-NB)-questions on consuming five food categories (grains, fruits, proteins, vegetables and dairy products); and (3) habits of unhealthy foods (H-UF)-questions on consuming three food categories (fatty, instant and fast foods). The times and regularity of meals, frequency of skipping breakfast, dinner with companion(s) and overeating were better in groups with high symptomatic and functional QoL. Symptomatic QoL positively affected Q-HD and H-NB (p<0.001 and p=0.024 respectively) and negatively affected H-UF (p=0.02). Breast cancer survivors more frequently ate from the fruit, protein and vegetable categories than did the control group, with lower H-UF and higher Q-HD values (p<0.001 and p<0.001 respectively). Our findings supported the relationship between QoL and dietary habit and showed healthier dietary habits of breast cancer survivors than controls.

Skipping Breakfast and Eating Fast Could Be Associated with Metabolic Syndrome—Clinical Cohort Study in Japan

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been reported to promote the development of atherosclerotic diseases and lower quality of life. Recently, it has also been reported that MetS could be a risk factor for some types of cancer, such as colon and pancreatic cancer. Several studies have reported that lifestyle, especially eating habits, was closely associated with metabolic diseases. However, the evidence among Japanese subjects is limited. We therefore conducted the present study to perform a cross-sectional evaluation of the relationship between eating habits and the prevalence of MetS among Japanese subjects. The present study included 6,925 Japanese subject (3,532 men and 3,393 women) who had undergone annual health checkups and received a questionnaire that included items on lifestyles such as frequency of skipping breakfast, pace of eating, usual physical activity, sleeping hours, alcohol consumption, and current smoking habits. MetS was diagnosed according to the criteria of the Japanese Society of Internal Medicine. To investigate the association between eating habits and MetS, we used multiple logistic regression analysis. Adjustments were made for age, sex, usual physical activity, sleeping hours, alcohol consumption, and current smoking habits. The results showed that skipping breakfast was positively associated with MetS; the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for MetS in relation to skipping breakfast on the items “eating every day,” “skipping about 3 days per week,” and “skipping almost every day” were 1.00 (reference), 1.22 (0.93-1.60), and 1.41 (1.12-1.79), respectively. Eating fast was also associated with the prevalence of MetS; the adjusted ORs and 95% CIs in relation to an eating pace of “more than 20 min,” “10-20 min,” and “ less than 10 min” were 1.00 (reference), 1.27 (1.02-159), and 1.61 (1.26 2-2.06), respectively. These results suggest that eating breakfast every day and eating slowly would be beneficial to prevent MetS. Disclosure H. Senba: None. T. Miyake: None. W. Kurihara: None. Y. Sakiko: None. S. Yamamoto: None. S. Furukawa: None. M. Abe: None. B. Matsuura: None. Y. Hiasa: None.

Skipping breakfast and 5-year changes in body mass index and waist circumference in Japanese men and women.

SummaryObjectiveThis study investigated the relationship between frequency of skipping breakfast and annual changes in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC).MethodsThe participants were 4,430 factory employees. BMI and WC were measured repeatedly at annual medical examinations over a 5‐year period. The association between frequency of skipping breakfast at the baseline examination and annual changes in anthropometric indices was evaluated using the generalized estimating equation method.ResultsThe mean (standard deviation) BMI was 23.3 (3.0) kg m−2 for men and 21.9 (3.6) kg m−2 for women; and the mean WC was 82.6 (8.7) cm for men and 77.8 (9.8) cm for women. During the follow‐up period, mean BMI increased by 0.2 kg m−2 for men and women, and mean WC increased by 1.1 cm for men and 1.0 cm for women. The annual change in the BMI of men who skipped breakfast four to six times per week was 0.061 kg m−2 higher, and that of those who skipped breakfast seven times per week was 0.046 kg m−2 higher, compared with those who did not skip breakfast. Annual changes in the WC of male participants who skipped breakfast seven times per week was 0.248 cm higher than that of those who did not skip breakfast. Skipping breakfast was not associated with changes in BMI or WC in women.ConclusionsSkipping breakfast was closely associated with annual changes in BMI and WC among men, and eating breakfast more than four times per week may prevent the excessive body weight gain associated with skipping breakfast.

Evaluation of Obesity and Nutritional Status by Age among Low-income Women aged over 20 -Using Data from the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey-

【The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of obesity, dietary habits, and nutritional status by age among low-income women, using data from the fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007~2009). Subjects were 8,356 women aged 20 and over. The subjects were classified into four groups by age. Dietary data from 24-hr recall methods were used to analyze nutritional status. The prevalence of obesity in the 50~64 years age group was significantly higher than those of the other age groups. Among age groups, malnutrition was the highest in the 65-and-over age group. It appears that women in the 20~29 and 65-and-over age groups were the highest nutritional risk. The percentage of carbohydrates in total energy intake was higher and the percentages of protein and fat were lower in the 65-and-over age group than other groups. Frequency of skipping breakfast was lower in women aged 65-and-over, and moderate physical activity significantly decreased with increasing age. Awareness of dietary guidelines was higher in women aged 30~49 years than other groups, whereas it was lower in those aged 65-and-over years. Adherence to dietary guidelines of 'eating a variety of foods from each food group' was significantly lower in women aged 65-and-over years than those of other groups. However adherence to dietary guidelines of 'eating breakfast everyday with a pleasant mind' was significantly lower in women aged 20~29 years than those of other groups. Therefore, this study shows that low income women have various nutritional problems by age group, and we should support a tailored approach to improve their nutritional status.】

Dietary Habits and Satisfaction of School Foodservice by High School Type in Chungnam Area

This study was performed to investigate the dietary habits and satisfaction of school foodservice by high school type(academic high school students (AHSS) : n=200, vocational high school students (VHSS) : n=200). Frequency of skipping breakfast was significantly higher for VHSS compared with AHSS (p<0.001), and reasons for skipping breakfast were significantly high for ‘lack of time’ and ‘habitually’ in VHSS (p<0.01). Duration of mealtime was significantly higher for AHSS compared with VHSS (p<0.001). Frequency of snacking was high in both AHSS and VHSS, and after dinner was the most common snack time for AHSS (p<0.001). Most commonly cited methods for improving dietary habits were ‘frequently skipping meals’ in AHSS and ‘irregular meals’ in VHSS. Reasons for leaving leftover foods were ‘no taste’ in AHSS and ‘side dish I dont like’ in VHSS (p<0.05). Satisfaction of school foodservice was significantly higher for AHSS compared with VHSS (p<0.05). Most commonly cited methods for improving school foodservice were ‘varied menu’ in AHSS and ‘food taste’ in VHSS (p<0.05). Commonly cited dietary motivations were ‘preference’ in AHSS and ‘resolving starvation’ in VHSS (p<0.001). As preference is an important factor, new menu development and continuous nutritional education should be necessary for menu diversity in order to raise satisfaction by using foods with high preference and superior nutrition.

Iron status of schoolchildren (6–15 years) and associated factors in rural Nigeria

BackgroundSchoolchildren are vulnerable to anaemia because of their higher iron need to meet the demands of puberty and adolescence.ObjectiveThe survey determined the haemoglobin levels of schoolchildren aged 6–15 years and the factors affecting their haemoglobin status.DesignData were obtained through a cross sectional survey of 450 randomly selected schoolchildren in Ede-Oballa, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria. Ninety were selected for clinical examination, biochemical tests, and nutrient intake study. Haemoglobin, malaria, and stool analysis were carried out by the cyanmethaemoglobin, thin blood film, and wet mount direct methods, respectively. Iron intake was determined by a three-day weighed food intake.ResultsResults showed that the schoolchildren had pallor (35.6%), brittle hair (31.1%), koilonychia (2.2%), oedema (4.4%) and sore/smooth tongue (7.8%). The children also had malaria (58.9%) and Entamoeba histolytica (42.2%), hookworm (36.7%), tapeworm (35.6%), whipworm (34.5%), and roundworm (27.9%) infestations. Iron intake was inadequate (<100% of recommended nutrient intake) for most of the children. The mean haemoglobin levels of the schoolchildren were low. The 6–9, 10–12, and 13–15 year olds had 9.0, 9.1, and 9.3 g/dl, respectively. Most (85.5%) of them had anaemia. Moderate anaemia was prevalent in 62.2%. Severe anaemia affected the 6–9 year olds more. Malaria (P<0.001), Entamoeba histolytica (P<0.01), hookworm (P<0.05), tapeworm (P<0.01), and whipworm (P<0.001) caused significant reduction in haemoglobin level. Age (b=1.284, P<0.05), birth order (b=−0.629, P<0.01), frequency of illness attack (b=−1.372, P<0.01), household size (b=−0.526, P<0.05), and frequency of skipping breakfast (b=−1.542, P<0.001) were factors that influenced the haemoglobin status of the children.ConclusionThe schoolchildren had poor iron status as a result of consumption of plant sources of iron with low bioavailability, parasitic infections, birth order, skipping of breakfast, large household size, and frequent bouts of illnesses.

20세 이상 성인 여성의 소득계층에 따른 영양상태 및 식습관 평가 - 제4기(2007~2009) 국민건강·영양조사 자료를 이용하여 -

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate dietary habit and nutritional status by household income in female adults, using data from the 4 th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007~2009). Subjects were 8,356 women over the age of 20 years. The subjects were classified into 4 groups by household income level. Dietary data from 24 hr recall methods were used to analyze nutritional status. The obesity rate of the low income group was significantly higher than the rates of other income groups. Additionally, the nutritional status of the low income group was worse than those of other groups. The percentage of carbohydrate in total energy intake was higher and food security status was lower in the low income group than in other groups. Awareness and adherence to dietary guidelines were also lower in the low income group. Adherence to a dietary guideline of ‘avoiding salty foods and trying to eat foods with bland taste’ and ‘eating a variety of foods from each food group’ were lower than those of other groups. However, the frequency of skipping breakfast among the low income group was lower than that of others. Therefore, this study suggested that low income women should decrease the percentage of carbohydrate in total energy intake and adhere to dietary guidelines, especially those of avoiding salty foods and eating a variety of food groups, in order to improve their nutritional status. Key words: female adults, income, nutritional status, carbohydrate, dietary guideline

세종특별자치시 중학생의 학교급식 만족도와 식습관 조사

The aim of this study is to provide the fundamental information on satisfaction for school food service and dietary habits of middle school students in Sejong Special Self-Governing City. Generally, the subjects had a high satisfaction level for school food service. The boys had comparatively more satisfactory days for school food service than the girls. The most dissatisfactory factors of school food service were the taste and variety of menu for the girls, and the time and place for lunch and the service of employee for the boys. The intersexual differences existed with a significant difference in the irregular intake of meals, the reasons to skip meals, and the eating speed. For the boys, the main reason to skip meals was due to lack of appetite, and for the girls, it was the weight-control. The boys finished each meal within 5~10 min and ate more than the amount the girls eat in general. The main components of breakfast for the subjects were a cooked rice, soup, and side dish in 65.9%, and the frequency of skipping breakfast was high with 32.8%, which was once per week. The favorite snacks for the middle school students were cookies and beverages in 29.4%, instant foods in 24.3%, and hamburger and pizza in 21.4%. The intake frequency of snacks was once or twice per week in 46.5% of the subjects. In addition, the subjects had a very high intake frequency of fastfoods with once or twice per week in 72.7%, and the most favorite fastfood was ramen in 57.7%. The subjects in 45.3% took dairy food every day. In conclusion, the middle school students need nutrition education to improve their eating habit and to increase the frequency of breakfast.

Eating habits, inactivity, and sedentary behavior among adolescents in Iraq: sex differences in the hidden risks of noncommunicable diseases.

Noncommunicable diseases have become the main causes of death in several developing countries. There is a severe shortage of information about the risk factors for these diseases in Iraq. To explore the eating habits, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors of adolescents in Mosul City, Iraq, as risk factors for noncommunicable diseases. A multistage stratified sampling method was carried out on adolescents aged 15 to 18 years in Mosul City, Iraq. A pretested and validated questionnaire was used to obtain information on frequency of intake of certain foods, physical activity, and screen time (television, video, and computer). Weight and height were measured to obtain the body composition status. The total sample included 723 adolescents (350 boys and 373 girls). There were significant differences between boys and girls in most eating habits and activity behaviors. The frequency of skipping breakfast and the intakes of fruits and vegetables, french fries, and sweets and chocolates were significantly higher among girls than boys (p < .001). Boys were significantly more likely to consume fast foods, sugar-sweetened drinks, and energy drinks than girls. Boys spent more time in physical activity (p < .001) and looking at screens than girls. The health authorities of Iraq should focus not only on interventions for undernutrition among adolescents, but also on behavioral risk factors for diet-related noncommunicable diseases.

Relationship between skipping breakfast and bone mineral density in young Japanese women.

BACK GROUND AND AIMS: It is well known that insufficient nutrient intake leads to poor bone status. To find a simple evaluation method for prevention of nutrition intake disorder, a cross-sectional study with 275 healthy Japanese female students aged 19-25 was conducted. Anthropometric parameters, bone mineral density (BMD) at lumbar and total hip, bone metabolic markers and physical activity were measured in study participants and the frequency of skipping meals (breakfast, lunch, supper), and absolute values for nutrient intakes were assessed using a Diet History Questionnaire. The frequency of skipping breakfast significantly correlate to total energy intake (ρ= -0.276, p<0.001). BMI, total intake of energy, intake of protein, intake of phosphate, and energy expenditure positively correlated significantly to BMD at lumbar and total hip (p<0.05) using simple linear regression. BMI (regression coefficient (b))=0.088, p<0.001), bone alkaline phosphatase (b= -0.050, p=0.012), total energy expenditure (b=0.019, p<0.001), and frequency of skipping breakfast (b= -0.018, p=0.048) were independent risk factors for lower total hip BMD by multiple regression analysis. The total hip BMD in participants who skipped breakfast three or more times was significantly lower than in those who did not skip breakfast (p=0.007). In conclusion, managing the frequency of skipping breakfast and reducing it to <3 times per week may be beneficial for the maintenance of bone health in younger women.

The Association between Skipping Breakfast and Biochemical Variables in Sedentary Obese Children and Adolescents

To investigate the relationship between skipping meals and biochemical variables in obese children and adolescents. The sample was composed of 174 obese children and adolescents, aged between 6 and 16 years (80 male and 94 female). Body composition was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, fasting blood glucose, and lipid profile were measured after 12 hours fasting. The frequency of skipping breakfast, lunch, or dinner was assessed through a face-to-face interview carried out with the parents. The prevalence of eating breakfast daily was low in boys (47.5%) and girls (44.7%). A higher frequency of eating breakfast was negatively correlated with glucose (r = -0.16; P = .026), triglycerides (r = -0.19; P = .011), and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = -0.21; P = .005). In the multivariate model, the weekly frequency of eating breakfast remained negatively associated with glucose (β = -0.975; P = .017), triglycerides (β = -7.792; P = .017), and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (β = -1.870; P = .009) independent of age, sex, trunk fatness, and parents' education. Skipping meals, mainly breakfast, is associated with glucose and lipid levels in obese children and adolescents.

Maternal and best friends’ influences on meal-skipping behaviours

Skipping meals is particularly common during adolescence and can have a detrimental effect on multiple aspects of adolescent health. Understanding the correlates of meal-skipping behaviours is important for the design of nutrition interventions. The present study examined maternal and best friends' influences on adolescent meal-skipping behaviours. Frequency of skipping breakfast, lunch and dinner was assessed using a Web-based survey completed by 3001 adolescent boys and girls from years 7 and 9 of secondary schools in Victoria, Australia. Perceived best friend and maternal meal skipping, modelling of healthy eating (eating healthy food, limiting junk food, eating fruit and vegetables) and weight watching were assessed. Best friend and maternal factors were differentially associated with meal-skipping behaviours. For example, boys and girls who perceived that their best friend often skipped meals were more likely to skip lunch (OR=2·01, 95% CI 1·33, 3·04 and OR=1·93, 95% CI 1·41, 2·65; P<0·001). Boys and girls who perceived that their mother often skipped meals were more likely to skip breakfast (OR=1·48, 95% CI 1·01, 2·15; P<0·05 and OR=1·93, 95% CI 1·42, 2·59; P<0·001) and lunch (OR=2·05, 95% CI 1·35, 3·12 and OR=2·02, 95% CI 1·43, 2·86; P<0·001). Educating adolescents on how to assess and interpret unhealthy eating behaviours that they observe from significant others may be one nutrition promotion strategy to reduce meal-skipping behaviour. The involvement of mothers may be particularly important in such efforts. Encouraging a peer subculture that promotes regular consumption of meals and educates adolescents on the detrimental impact of meal-skipping behaviour on health may also offer a promising nutrition promotion strategy.

경북 상주 일부 중학생의 아침결식 빈도에 따른 결식 관련요인

This paper examined the frequency of skipping breakfast by middle school students for one week. It carried out the study in order to understand the ways skipping breakfast effected other habits. The subjects were 467 middle school students (219 boys, 248 girls). The results of the survey were as follows; average male students were <TEX>$171.16{\pm}5.9cm$</TEX>, <TEX>$61.45{\pm}10.0kg$</TEX>, and <TEX>$20.93{\pm}2.9$</TEX> in height, weight and body mass index, while the average female students were <TEX>$159.27{\pm}6.0cm$</TEX>, <TEX>$51.62{\pm}7.9kg$</TEX> and <TEX>$20.33{\pm}2.8$</TEX>. As for the reasons for skipping breakfast, 58.0% of the subjects responded that they had no time. The frequency of skipping breakfast was divided into the eating group (0~1 time) and the skipping breakfast group (2~3times/week, 4~5 times/week, or 6~7 times/week). As the frequency of skipping breakfast increased, so the rate of the subjects eating alone was higher and eating with family lower(p<.05). The dietary behavior change stage was divided into contemplation stage, preparation stage, action stage, and maintenance stage. The eating group(59.2%) was higher than the skipping breakfast group(29.1%~46.3%) in the rate of subjects maintenance stage(p<.01). Accordingly, skipping breakfast was closely connected with eating habits in their families. A dietitian needs to teach the importance of meals and life habits, so as to enhance public awareness of health and nutrition to the students. Subjects of nutrition education must even enlarge their parents as well as the students.

Factors Related to Frequency of Breakfast Eating and Dietary Life Score in Elementary, Middle, and High School Students Residing in Kyungpook.

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to determine the factors related to eating behavior of breakfast and dietary life score in elementary, middle, and high school students. This study was conducted by administering ques-tionnaires, and data were analyzed by the SPSS program. The subjects were divided into three groups accord-ing to school group (elementary, middle, and high school). The subjects consisted of 1,879 students (male 973, female 906) from 11 schools in Kyungpook. The distribution of subjects was as follows: elementary school children 682, middle school students 702, and high school students 495. The results are summarized as follows. Dietary life score was 72.64 for elementary school students, 64.77 for middle school students, and 62.67 for high school students. Frequency of eating breakfast and reasons for skipping breakfast were sig-nificantly different according to school group (P＜0.001, P＜0.01, respectively). The main reason for skipping breakfast was ‘habitual skip’ for elementary and middle school students (54.8%, 46.7%) and ‘getting up too late’ in high school students (55.4%). There were no significant association between frequency of eating break-fast and BMI. However, there were significant differences in school performance and sleeping hours according to frequency of eating breakfast (P＜0.001, P＜0.01, respectively). Dietary life score was significantly different according to frequency of eating breakfast (P＜0.001). These results stress the need for intervention programs aimed at decreasing the frequency of skipping breakfast in children and students at school. Further, those who prepares meals for children must increase their concern about preparing breakfast.

Obesity among Iranian Adolescent Girls: Location of Residence and Parental Obesity

This cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and predictors of overweight and obesity by location of residence among randomly-selected 2,577 urban school girls aged 12-17 years in Rasht, Iran. Data on age, frequency of skipping breakfast per week, physical activity, hours of television viewing, self-perception about body condition, and home address were collected. Birthweight of the girls, educational levels of parents, weights and heights of parents, and employment status of mothers were asked to the parents using a self-administrated questionnaire. The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity in this population was 18.6% and 5.9% respectively. Overweight or obesity was more common among girls from low-income areas compared to high-income areas (21.6% vs 17.1%, p<0.001). Maternal education was positively related to overweight/obesity of the girls. Results of logistic regression analysis showed that risk of overweight/obesity was higher in girls whose either parent was overweight or obese. Furthermore, living in low-income areas and skipping breakfast were independently related to overweight/obesity. These data suggest that overweight and obesity are a public-health concern among school girls, especially in low-income areas in Rasht. Knowing risk factors in population subgroups is important for planners in the country because it helps target interventions.

Factors associated with overweight in children in Rasht, Iran: gender, maternal education, skipping breakfast and parental obesity

The present study aimed to investigate the determinants of overweight and obesity among 6- to 11-year-old schoolchildren in Rasht, Iran. Cross-sectional survey. Data on age, weekly frequency of skipping breakfast, physical activity and hours of television viewing were collected. Information on birth weight, parental age, parental educational levels, parental weight and height, and mother's employment status were gathered through self-administrated questionnaires given to the parents. Elementary schools in Rasht. A total of 6635 children (3551 boys and 3084 girls) attending elementary schools in Rasht were studied. The overall prevalence of overweight was 11.5 % and 15.0 % for boys and girls, respectively; while the overall prevalence of obesity was 5.0 % and 5.9 %, respectively. Children with more educated mothers had a higher prevalence of overweight than children with less educated mothers. Logistic regression analysis showed that children with overweight/obese parents, children with more educated mothers and children who often skipped breakfast were more prone to overweight and obesity. These data suggest that overweight and obesity is a public health concern in this age group in Rasht. The observed sex and social differences in the prevalence of overweight and obesity call for policy makers' attention.

Skipping breakfast, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity as risk factors for overweight and obesity in adolescents: results of the E-MOVO project

To investigate the association between skipping breakfast, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity with overweight and obesity in adolescents. The design comprises cross-sectional electronic health survey (E-MOVO). Over 35 000 Dutch adolescents in grade 2 (13-14 years of age) and grade 4 (15-16 years of age) of secondary educational schools were recruited by seven community health services. Analyses were performed on 25 176 adolescents. Body mass index was calculated from self-reported body weight and height. Frequency of skipping breakfast per week, amount of alcoholic drinks consumed per occasion, and numbers of physical active days per week were considered as determinants for overweight and obesity. In grade 2, adjusted odds ratios for the association with overweight were 2.17 (95% CI: 1.66-2.85) for skipping breakfast, 1.86 (1.36-2.55) for alcohol consumption and 1.73 (1.19-2.51) for physical inactivity. Statistically significant associations with overweight were also found in grade 4. In grade 2, dose-response relations (P for trend <0.05) were present between all risk factors and overweight. In a multivariate model containing all risk factors, breakfast skipping showed the strongest relation with overweight (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.43-1.97 for grade 2, OR 1.32 95% CI 1.14-1.54 for grade 4) and obesity. Skipping breakfast, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity were associated with overweight in second and fourth grade adolescents. The associations were strongest for younger adolescents. The most important risk factor for overweight and obesity was skipping breakfast.

A breakfast survey of primary schools in low income inner city areas of Southampton

This report describes the results of a survey of children's reported or perceived breakfast habits in seven primary schools serving low-income areas in Southampton during January-April 1993. Structured and semi- structured interviews were used. The two types of interview revealed a similar frequency of skipping breakfast, which was reported by 5.1 per cent in the entire sample of 935 children. The most common items apparently consumed at breakfast were cereal (68 per cent) usually with milk (61 per cent). Nearly a third of the children had sugar as well. Small numbers reported eating during the rest of the morning, most often in the mid-morning break when 447 (48 per cent) had a snack and 135 (14 per cent) had a drink. Striking differences were reported among the schools as to whether the children had a snack at all, and the type of snack. The importance of school's policies and practices should be explored further, as a potentially powerful force for achieving dietary behavioural change.