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The link between breakfast skipping and overweigh/obesity in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis of observational studies

Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders volume 18, pages 657–664 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

Childhood overweight/ obesity is one of critical public health concern. It has been suggested that there is a link between breakfast skipping and obesity. However, results are conflicting. The aim of the present study was to summarize the association between breakfast skipping and overweight/obesity in children and adolescent.

Methods

We performed a literature search using Pubmed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science and EMBASE electronic databases from 2000 through 28 February 2018 without language limitation. Observational studies in which risk measures were reported regarding the link between breakfast skipping and obesity in children and adolescent were included. Studies with at least the score of 5 from Newcastle-Ottawa Scale were considered as low risk of bias. Random effect model was used for data synthesis.

Results

Of 3276 publications, finally 16 studies (14 cross-sectional studies, 2 cohort studies) were included for meta-analysis. Based on cross-sectional studies, we found a positive association between breakfast skipping and obesity (Odd ratio (OR) trim & fill: 1.43; 95%CI: 1.32, 1.54), while cohort studies showed no significant link (OR:1.01, 95%CI: 0.93, 1.11; I2: 48%, p = 0.14). Subgroup analysis in cross-sectional studies showed that the association between breakfast skipping and the risk of obesity in boys was OR: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.38, 1.95; I2: 38.3%, p = 0.18, while it was 1.56 (95% CI: 1.38, 1.77, I2: 0.0%, p = 0.49) in girls.

Conclusion

The risk of obesity in children and adolescents who skipped breakfast was 43% greater than those who ate breakfast regularly in cross-sectional studies, while no significant link was found in cohort studies. However, due to high heterogeneity and limited cohort studies, findings should be interpreted by caution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada

    Edris Ardeshirlarijani

  2. Diabetes Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Nazli Namazi & Leila Azadbakht

  3. Student Research Committee, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Industry, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Masoumeh Jabbari

  4. Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Health, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran

    Mina Zeinali

  5. Obesity and Eating Habits Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Molecular- Cellular Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Hadis Gerami

  6. Burn and Wound Healing Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

    Reza B. Jalili

  7. Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Bagher Larijani

  8. Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Leila Azadbakht

  9. Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Leila Azadbakht

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  1. Edris Ardeshirlarijani
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  2. Nazli Namazi
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Correspondence to Nazli Namazi, Bagher Larijani or Leila Azadbakht.

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Ardeshirlarijani, E., Namazi, N., Jabbari, M. et al. The link between breakfast skipping and overweigh/obesity in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis of observational studies. J Diabetes Metab Disord 18, 657–664 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40200-019-00446-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40200-019-00446-7

Keywords

  • Breakfast skipping
  • Child
  • Adolescent
  • Obesity