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Breakfast consumption in Spanish children and young people

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2001

Javier Aranceta ,
Lluís Serra-Majem ,
Lourdes Ribas  and
Carmen Pérez-Rodrigo
Javier Aranceta*
Affiliation:
Community Nutrition Unit, Department of Public Health, Luis Briñas 18, 4th Floor, E-48013 Bilbao, Spain
Lluís Serra-Majem
Affiliation:
Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Las Palmas, Las Palmas, Spain Community Nutrition Unit, Park Scientific, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Lourdes Ribas
Affiliation:
Community Nutrition Unit, Park Scientific, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Carmen Pérez-Rodrigo
Affiliation:
Community Nutrition Unit, Department of Public Health, Luis Briñas 18, 4th Floor, E-48013 Bilbao, Spain
*
*Corresponding author: Email: bisaludpublica@jet.es
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Abstract

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Background and objectives: Breakfast consumption is important for nutritional balance in all population groups. The objective of this paper is to describe breakfast consumption patterns in Spanish children and young people.

Design:

Random population cross-sectional nutritional survey.

Methods:

A random sample of 3534 people aged 2 to 24 years were interviewed by a team of 43 dietitians. The protocol included 24-hour recalls (a second 24-hour recall in 30% of the sample), a food-frequency questionnaire and other questions including lifestyles, knowledge and food preferences.

Results:

Participation rate in the survey was 68%. Of the boys, 91.2% and 92.2% of the girls in the sample usually had breakfast. Males aged 18 years and above and 14–17-year-old girls showed the lowest consumption rates. Some 4.1% of the sample did not have any food at all before lunch. Main sources of energy with breakfast were milk and dairy products (34%) and buns, cookies, croissants, etc. (24.6%). Some 44.7% of the sample was classified in the poor-quality breakfast group. Subjects from a low socio-economic background and low educated parents had lower Quality Breakfast Score.

Conclusions:

The proportion of children having breakfast before attending school has increased in Spain in recent decades. However, intake of breakfast is not adequate in a large proportion of this population and a number of children and young people still do not eat anything before lunch. School-based nutrition education involving families, teachers and health professionals, supported by community actions, can contribute to improve this situation.

Keywords

BreakfastChildren's food habitsFood patternsNutrition surveys
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 4 , Issue 6a , December 2001 , pp. 1439 - 1444
Copyright
Copyright © CABI Publishing 2001

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