Factors Associated with Breakfast Skipping among Undergraduate Medical Students of a Selected Medical College in Bangladesh

Debnath, Poly Rani; Billah, Syed Muhammad Baqui; Karmakar, Prodip Kumar; Sultana, Nazia

doi:10.3329/bmrcb.v49i1.62698

Cited by 1 publication

(6 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Congruent to the findings from previous studies among urban adults in Bangladesh [ 12 ], university professionals in Bangladesh [ 29 ] and among public sector medical institutes in Karachi, Pakistan [ 30 ], this study found that females were more likely to skip breakfast compared to their male counterparts. This finding is however not on par with findings from previous studies conducted among undergraduate medical students in Bangladesh [ 13 ] and among Inner Mongolia medical students in China [ 25 ]. The plausible reason for females having higher odds of skipping breakfast than males could be because females are more concerned about their body shape or body image and some may adopt skipping breakfast as a means to lose weight [ 13 ].…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

“…A high prevalence of skipping breakfast (63.5%) among university students was observed in this study. This aligns with a previous study of 4th year medical students in Bangladesh [ 13 ], and is at the higher end of a range of estimates reported by additional studies investigating young adults [ 10 ] and urban-living adults [ 12 ]. In comparison to other countries, the prevalence recorded in this study is higher than 56.1% reported among university students in Malaysia [ 23 ], 55.4% reported among final year university medical students in Sri Lanka [ 24 ] and 28.9% also among university medical students in China [ 25 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…In Bangladesh, skipping breakfast is a common practice. Studies conducted on university students and adults in Bangladesh have reported the prevalence of skipping breakfast can range from approximately 35 to 65% [ 1 , 12 , 13 ]. Less is known about factors associated with skipping breakfast among university students.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Night eating syndrome in university students may be worth exploring as students are more likely to be awake later at night due to academic (e.g., studying) or social (e.g., going out with friends) activities. Thus, sleep quality and night eating syndrome may be a reason for the high prevalence of skipping breakfast in university students (55–65%) [ 1 , 2 , 13 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Yet, there is a lack of evidence in Bangladesh, especially among university students. This is of particular importance as they are a population that has been characterized by a high prevalence of skipping breakfast [ 1 , 13 ], poor sleep quality [ 17 ], and eating disorders [ 18 ]. Given the adverse health outcomes related to skipping breakfast, additional factors, such as sociodemographic parameters, sleep quality, and night eating syndrome, warrant investigation among university students in Bangladesh to identify those most at risk [ 1 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Skipping breakfast and its association with sociodemographic characteristics, night eating syndrome, and sleep quality among university students in Bangladesh

Khan,

Paul,

Al Banna

et al. 2024

BMC Nutr

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Introduction Skipping breakfast has become more common, and it can significantly affect a person’s health, performance, mood, and other physiological and psychological factors. In Bangladesh, university students often encounter unhealthy dietary habits, which raises questions about why many university students choose to skip breakfast. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of skipping breakfast among university students in Bangladesh and explore the contributing factors. Methods Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh was the location of this cross-sectional study. Breakfast consumption was measured with the single-question item, “How often do you eat breakfast?” (Almost every day, sometimes, rarely, or never). Skipping breakfast was classified as respondents selecting sometimes, rarely, or never having breakfast. Sociodemographic, behavioral, and sleep-related data were collected as key predictor variables. Multiple logistic regression models identified factors associated with skipping breakfast. Results The prevalence of skipping breakfast among study participants (N = 502, 51.6% female and mean age 21.31 years) was 63.5%. Female students were more likely to skip breakfast compared to male students (adjusted odds ratio, AOR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.06–2.55). Smoker participants had a higher likelihood of skipping breakfast compared to non-smokers (AOR = 3.92, 95% CI: 1.57–9.78). Students with night eating syndrome had a higher likelihood of skipping breakfast compared to their counterparts (AOR = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.06–3.22). Students with poor sleep quality were three times more likely to skip breakfast than their counterparts (AOR = 2.95, 95% CI: 1.93–4.51). Overweight/obese students were less likely to skip breakfast compared to their counterparts (AOR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.20–0.82). Conclusion This study highlights a high prevalence of skipping breakfast among university students in Bangladesh. Specifically, students who are females, smokers, poor sleepers and who have night eating syndrome are more likely to skip breakfast compared to their counterparts. These findings underscore a need for targeted interventions and educational programs to promote healthy breakfast habits. Addressing these modifiable risk factors can have a positive impact on students’ nutritional practices and their health and wellbeing.

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