Breakfast Consumption Frequency and Its Relationships to Overall Diet Quality, Using Healthy Eating Index 2010, and Body Mass Index among Adolescents in a Low-Income Urban Setting

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to describe the relationship of breakfast frequency to diet quality and BMI among low-income, predominantly African American adolescents aged 9–15 (n = 239). Mean frequency of breakfast consumption was 5.0 ± 0.15 times per week. A significant, positive relationship was seen between HEI scores and frequency of breakfast consumption (p = .01). Dairy (p = .02) and whole grains (p < .01) HEI component scores were significantly related to breakfast frequency. No relationship was seen between breakfast frequency and BMI. Research with more rigorous designs should be conducted to assess the potential effects of breakfast consumption on diet quality in this population.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescent
• breakfast consumption
• diet quality HEI 2010
• low-income African American
• obesity

Funding

The B’More Healthy Communities for Kids study described was supported by Grant Number U54HD070725 from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD). The project is cofunded by the NICHD and the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NICHD or OBSSR. The components of the project related to breakfast consumption were funded by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics through the PepsiCo Healthy Lifestyle Research Innovation Grant. Support from the Kruse Family Publications Award, Abell Foundation, and Healthy Mondays Campaign is gratefully acknowledged.

Additional information

Funding

The B’More Healthy Communities for Kids study described was supported by Grant Number U54HD070725 from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD). The project is cofunded by the NICHD and the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NICHD or OBSSR. The components of the project related to breakfast consumption were funded by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics through the PepsiCo Healthy Lifestyle Research Innovation Grant. Support from the Kruse Family Publications Award, Abell Foundation, and Healthy Mondays Campaign is gratefully acknowledged.