No breakfast at home: association with cardiovascular disease risk factors in childhood.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Limited data exist regarding breakfast consumption and its association with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. This study investigates the relationship between breakfast routine and CVD risk factors in a multinational sample.

SUBJECTS/METHODS: Cross-sectional data from eight European countries participating in the IDEFICS (Identification and prevention of dietary- and lifestyle-induced health effects in children and infants) survey (2007-2008) were used. The sample included ;children 2 to <10 years of age (n=8863, 51.2% boys). The Mann-Whitney ;U-test and logistic regression were used to assess CVD risk factors ;among ;no breakfast (NBrH), occasional breakfast and daily breakfast at home (DBrH) consumption.

RESULTS

Male school-aged NBrH consumers, ;compared with ;DBrH consumers, ;were more likely to be overweight/obese (odds ratio (OR): 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.05-1.79), to have higher risk for high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels lower than 40 mg/dl (OR: 1.69, 95% CI=1.24-2.30), triglycerides (TG) above 75 mg/dl (OR: 1.65, 95% CI=1.24-2.19) and sum of skinfolds greater than the 90th percentile (OR: 1.32, 95% CI=1.0-1.76). Female school-aged NBrH consumers ;compared with ;DBrH consumers ;had a higher risk for waist circumference greater than the 90th percentile (OR: 1.70, 95% CI=1.14-2.51), HDL cholesterol levels lower than 40 mg/dl (OR: 1.65, 95% CI=1.23-2.21), TG above 75 mg/dl (OR: 1.65, 95% CI=1.26-2.17) and total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio >3.5 (OR: 1.39, 95% CI=1.09-1.77). RESULTS remained significant after adjusting for daily physical activity in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) periods (in min/day). Male DBrH consumers, 6 to <10 years of age, had longer daily periods of MVPA compared with ;NBrH consumers ;(32.0±21.4 vs 27.5±18.8, P<0.05). For preschoolers, breakfast consumption was negatively associated with ;CVD risk factors but results of regression models were mostly insignificant.

CONCLUSIONS

Daily breakfast consumption contributes to controlling school-aged children's weight ;and lipid profile and promotes higher PA.