Cheng Shi-Hui, Rebecca Yew Li Qing
School of Biosciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Malaysia.
Percept Mot Skills. 2025 Mar 25:315125251329999. doi: 10.1177/00315125251329999.
Breakfast skipping has been linked to impaired brain function and reduced information processing. While previous studies have focused on its association with academic performance among school children, other important factors, such as cognitive aspects, have received limited attention. Breakfast is the most frequently skipped meal among university students, however, its prevalence and the impact on cognitive performance among university students remain unclear. This study aims to determine the prevalence of breakfast skipping, factors associated with breakfast skipping, and the association of breakfast skipping with cognitive function and academic performance among Malaysian university students. A cross-sectional study was conducted, and 298 foundation and undergraduate students were recruited via convenience sampling. A questionnaire was used to determine sociodemographic, anthropometry data and breakfast consumption habits. Cognitive function was assessed using the location learning test, Digit Symbol Substitution Test and Stroop Test. Academic performance was assessed based on the latest examination grades. Binary logistic regression was performed to determine predictors of breakfast skipping. The prevalence of breakfast skipping among university students was 67.3%. Factors that were significantly associated with breakfast skipping were faculty, parents' education levels, and living status. Students majoring in Arts and Social Sciences were more likely to skip breakfast (AOR = 2.196, 95% CI = 1.310-3.680, = .003) while lower odds of breakfast skipping were found among students with parents who had higher education levels (AOR = 0.489, 95% CI = 0.245-0.974, = .042) and students who lived with their parents at home (AOR = 0.513, 95% CI = 0.305-0.861, = .012). Breakfast skipping was significantly associated with lower academic performance, poorer memory, lower attention and reaction times in executive function. Breakfast skipping has been identified as an urgent public health issue that demands swift intervention strategies from policy makers and university management to promote healthy breakfast habits among university students.
不吃早餐与大脑功能受损和信息处理能力下降有关。虽然先前的研究集中在不吃早餐与学童学业成绩的关联上，但其他重要因素，如认知方面，受到的关注有限。早餐是大学生最常不吃的一餐，然而，其在大学生中的流行程度以及对认知表现的影响仍不明确。本研究旨在确定马来西亚大学生不吃早餐的流行程度、与不吃早餐相关的因素，以及不吃早餐与认知功能和学业成绩的关联。进行了一项横断面研究，通过便利抽样招募了298名预科生和本科生。使用问卷来确定社会人口统计学、人体测量数据和早餐消费习惯。使用位置学习测试、数字符号替换测试和斯特鲁普测试评估认知功能。根据最新考试成绩评估学业成绩。进行二元逻辑回归以确定不吃早餐的预测因素。大学生不吃早餐的流行率为67.3%。与不吃早餐显著相关的因素是学院、父母的教育水平和居住状况。文科和社会科学专业的学生更有可能不吃早餐（比值比=2.196，95%置信区间=1.310-3.680，P=.003），而父母受过高等教育的学生（比值比=0.489，95%置信区间=0.245-0.974，P=.042）和在家与父母同住的学生（比值比=0.513，95%置信区间=0.305-0.861，P=.012）不吃早餐的几率较低。不吃早餐与学业成绩较低、记忆力较差、注意力较低以及执行功能的反应时间较长显著相关。不吃早餐已被确定为一个紧迫的公共卫生问题，需要政策制定者和大学管理层迅速采取干预策略，以促进大学生养成健康的早餐习惯。
