Relationship between eating behavior, breakfast consumption, and obesity among Finnish and Greek adolescents.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between eating-related behaviors, particularly breakfast consumption, and weight status in Finnish and Greek adolescents.

METHODS

A total of 6,468 16-year-old Finnish adolescents and 2,842 17- and 18-year-old Greek adolescents, based on the latest follow-up of 2 population-based cohorts, were studied. Univariate analysis examined the associations between breakfast consumption, family meals, emotional eating, bingeing, and weight status in both populations. Multiple logistic regression models focused on the relationship between breakfast consumption and overweight/obesity taking potential confounders into account.

RESULTS

Daily breakfast consumption was associated with lower levels of overweight/obesity among Finnish and Greek boys, but not among girls. Adjusting for confounders did not change the result among Greek boys, but adjustment for father's body mass index, weight control, and fear of getting fat attenuated the association among Finnish boys.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

This study highlights the importance of breakfast consumption, particularly among male adolescents, in obesity prevention programs.