Regular breakfast consumption is associated with higher blood vitamin status in adolescents: the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) Study.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to examine the association between different breakfast consumption patterns and vitamin intakes and blood vitamin concentrations in European adolescents.

DESIGN

Breakfast consumption was assessed by a questionnaire. Vitamin intake was calculated from two 24 h recalls. Blood vitamin and total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations were analysed from fasting blood samples.

SETTING

The European Commission-funded HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) Study.

SUBJECTS

Participants were 1058 (52·8 % females) European adolescents (aged 12·5-17·5 years) from ten cities.

RESULTS

Lower vitamin D and vitamin C concentrations were observed in male and female breakfast skippers than in consumers (P<0·05). Female breakfast consumers presented higher holo-transcobalamin and lower tHcy (P<0·05), while males had higher cobalamin concentrations, compared with skippers (P<0·05). Higher vitamin D and total folate intakes were observed in adolescents who consumed breakfast compared with skippers (P<0·05). Likewise, female consumers had higher intakes of vitamin B6 and vitamin E than occasional consumers (P<0·05).

CONCLUSIONS

Regular breakfast consumption is associated with higher blood vitamin D and cobalamin concentrations in males and with higher vitamin D and holo-transcobalamin and lower tHcy concentrations in females. Moreover, breakfast consumption is associated with high intakes of vitamin D and total folate in both sexes, and with high intakes of vitamin B6 and vitamin E in females.