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Breakfast consumption and its socio-demographic and lifestyle correlates in schoolchildren in 41 countries participating in the HBSC study

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International Journal of Public Health

Abstract

Objective:

To investigate associations of daily breakfast consumption (DBC) with demographic and lifestyle factors in 41 countries.

Methods:

Design: Survey including nationally representative samples of 11–15 year olds (n = 204,534) (HBSC 2005–2006). Statistics: Multilevel logistic regression analyses

Results:

DBC varied from 33% (Greek girls) to 75% (Portuguese boys).

In most countries, lower DBC was noticed in girls, older adolescents, those with lower family affluence and those living in single-parent families. DBC was positively associated with healthy lifestyle behaviours and negatively with unhealthy lifestyle behaviours.

Conclusion:

Breakfast skipping deserves attention in preventive programs. It is common among adolescents, especially girls, older adolescents and those from disadvantaged families.

The results indicate that DBC can serve as an indicator to identify children at risk for unhealthy lifestyle behaviours.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Postdoctoral researcher FWO-Flanders, Department of Public Health, Ghent University, UH, bloc A, 2nd floor, De Pintelaan 185, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Carine Vereecken

  2. INSERM U558, Epidemiology and Public Health, University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France

    Marie Dupuy

  3. Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Mette Rasmussen

  4. Health Promotion Research Centre, National University of Ireland, Galway, Galway, Ireland

    Colette Kelly

  5. Division of Epidemiology, Statistics & Prevention Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, USA

    Tonja R. Nansel

  6. Department of Public Health, Gent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Haleama Al Sabbah

  7. Department of Health, Regional Centre for Health Promotion - Veneto Region, Verona, Italy

    Daniela Baldassari

  8. Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Problems (SIPA), Lausanne, Switzerland

    Marina Delgrande Jordan

  9. Department of Public Health, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Lea Maes

  10. National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark

    Birgit V.-L. Niclasen

  11. INSERM U558, Epidemiology and Public Health, University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France

    Namanjeet Ahluwalia

  12. Nutrition and Health Research Institute, Al Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine

    Haleama Al Sabbah

Authors
  1. Carine Vereecken
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  2. Marie Dupuy
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  3. Mette Rasmussen
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  4. Colette Kelly
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  5. Tonja R. Nansel
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  6. Haleama Al Sabbah
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  7. Daniela Baldassari
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  8. Marina Delgrande Jordan
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  9. Lea Maes
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  10. Birgit V.-L. Niclasen
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  11. Namanjeet Ahluwalia
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Consortia

the HBSC Eating & Dieting Focus Group

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carine Vereecken.

Additional information

Members of the HBSC Eating & Dieting Focus Group: Carine Vereecken (BEFl) (Coordinator), Ursula Mager (AT), Lea Maes (BE-Fl), Halimah Al Sabbah (BE-Fl), Patrick de Smet (BE-Fr), Anna Alexandrova (BG), Ian Janssen (CA) (SDG), František Krch (CZ), Mai Maser (EE), Kristiina Ojala (FI), Namanjeet Ahluwalia (FR), Birgit Niclassen (GL), Ágnes Németh (HU), Colette Kelly (IE), Mariano Giacchi (IT), Paola Dalmasso (IT), Stefania Rossi (IT), Daniela Baldassari (IT), Giacomo Lazzeri (IT), Iveta Pudule (LV), Hanna Kololo (PL), Catrinel Craciun (RO), Aurora Szentagotai (RO), Martina Baskova (SK), Marina Delgrande (CH), Oya Ercan (TR), Tonja Nansel (US), Jing Wang (US)

Submitted: 18 September 2008; revised 04 May 2009; accepted: 04 June 2009

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Vereecken, C., Dupuy, M., Rasmussen, M. et al. Breakfast consumption and its socio-demographic and lifestyle correlates in schoolchildren in 41 countries participating in the HBSC study. Int J Public Health 54 (Suppl 2), 180–190 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-009-5409-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-009-5409-5

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