Frequency of breakfast consumption is associated with anthropometric markers of body adiposity in university students

Abstract

Objective To analyze the frequency of breakfast consumption and its association with body adiposity in university students. Methods Cross-sectional study using baseline data from a cohort of 2,179 students aged 16 to 25, enrolled in 21 full-time courses, collected between 2015 and 2018. The outcomes assessed were overweight, obesity, high waist circumference and high waist-to-height ratio. The frequency of breakfast consumption was assessed as: regular (5–7 times/week); irregular (1–4 times/week) and omission (never/almost never). Associations were estimated using Poisson regression models with robust variance. Results The prevalence of skipping breakfast and irregular breakfast consumption were, respectively, 14.5% and 23.6% for men and 14.6% and 24.7% for women. In males, skipping breakfast was directly associated with obesity (aPR=1,74; CI95%=1,05;2,88), high waist circumference (aPR=2,10; CI95%=1,31;3,35), and high waist/height ratio (aPR =1,59; CI95%=1,13;2,23). Among women, higher prevalence of obesity (aPR= 1.90, 95%CI= 1.16;3.12) was found among those who had breakfast irregularly, and skipping breakfast was associated with high waist/height ratio (aPR=1,51; CI95%=1,03;2,20). Irregular breakfast consumption was only associated with obesity in women and was not associated with any of the outcomes assessed among men. Conclusion Skipping breakfast was associated with abdominal adiposity in both sexes, and also with total adiposity among men. Irregular breakfast consumption was associated only with obesity in women. Regular breakfast consumption should be included among the objectives of actions to promote healthy eating habits at universities.