What are Children's Breakfast Habits and How is Breakfast Meal Perceived by them? A Study Carried out in Pavia, Northern Italy

Abstract

Regular breakfast eating has been associated with a better health status and wellbeing at any age and promotes an overall dietary quality and nutritional adequacy. It has been shown by an increasing number of papers in the literature that children consuming breakfast on a regular basis tend to have better nutritional profiles than their breakfast skipping counterparts. The aim of this study was to investigate breakfast habits among primary school pupils and to evaluate how they perceive this meal. A cross sectional study has been conducted in 2012 in all public primary schools in Pavia, Northern Italy. All pupils of both sexes attending the second year (aged 7.7 ± 0.4 years; range 7-8.5) were invited to complete a questionnaire, as well as a breakfast food diary and to draw a picture of their breakfast meal. The results were encouraging since 84.3% of the pupils ate breakfast regularly every day, 7.7% almost daily while only 8.0% did not consume it regularly or skipped it. Seventy three point three percent of the pupils consumed an adequate breakfast with milk or yogurt and cereals products; many of them ate also a fruit or drank a fruit juice. Only 10.3% consumed an unsatisfactory and incomplete breakfast. Qualitative analysis of the breakfast pictures showed that most of the children (92.0%) liked to consume breakfast every day with their family and considered it a very pleasant occasion. In conclusion, our results showed positive and encouraging data regarding the consumption of breakfast by the children in Pavia. Although the results were satisfactory, efforts should be aimed at reinforcing children's positive habits and encouraging these throughout entire life. Parents of pupils skipping breakfast should encourage their children to assume this meal to improve their dietary quality as well as nutrient profile.