[Relationship between breakfast and nutrition status study of children aged 6-17 in China from 2010 to 2012]

Abstract

Objective: To study the relationship between the frequency of breakfast and nutrition status of children aged 6-17 in China.

Methods: Data were collected from China National Nutrition and Health Surveillance in 2010-2012. By using multi-stage stratified sampling and population proportional stratified random sampling method, the research objects were 28 431 children aged 6-17 years. The information of breakfast frequency in the past week were collected by questionnaire, the child's height, weight and personal basic information were also collected.

Results: The rate of malnutrition for children who did not eat breakfast in the past week was 16. 5%( 59/356), the rates of stunting and wasting were 5. 6%( 20/358) and 11. 0%( 39/356) respectively, which were significantly higher than the rates of children who ate breakfast everyday( P <0. 05). The risks of stunting, wasting and malnutrition in children who did not have breakfast were 1. 855( 95% CI 1. 149-2. 995), 1. 449( 95% CI 1. 017-2. 065) and1. 646( 95% CI 1. 220-2. 221) times, respectively, of the ones who had breakfast every day. The overall rate of overweight and obesity for children who had breakfast every day was 17. 1%( 4347/25360), which was significantly higher than the rate of children who did not eat breakfast( P < 0. 001), Logistic regression analysis showed that breakfast frequency was not a factor affecting children's overweight and obesity.

Conclusion: The risks of malnutrition prevalence for the children who don't have breakfast are more than the ones who have breakfast every day. Breakfast skipping is an independent factor to malnutrition that can increase risk of malnutrition.

Keywords: breakfast; breakfast frequency; children; influencing factors; nutrition status.