Meal pattern among Norwegian primary-school children and longitudinal associations between meal skipping and weight status

Abstract

Objective: To investigate meal pattern longitudinally and explore whether meal skipping was associated with overweight among Norwegian children and adolescents. Design: Longitudinal study. Children's meal frequencies were reported by their parents using a retrospective FFQ. Weight and height were measured by public health nurses. Descriptive data comparing 4th and 7th grade were analysed by paired-sample t tests for continuous variables and x 2 tests for categorical variables. Odds ratio estimates, including confidence intervals, with BMI category (normal/overweight) as the dependent variable, were determined through logistic regression analyses. Results: The number of children eating four main meals per day (regular meal frequency) decreased from 4th grade (47 %) to 7th grade (38 %; P 5 0?001). Those who ate regular meals in 4th grade but not in 7th grade had higher odds (OR 5 3?1; 95 % CI 1?1, 9?0) of being overweight in 7th grade after adjusting for gender, maternal education and physical activity, but the odds ratio was not statistically significant after adjusting for overweight in 4th grade (OR 5 2?8; 95 % CI 0?7, 11?6). Conclusions: The present study showed significant increases in overall meal skipping among children between 4th and 7th grade. The results indicate an association between overweight and meal skipping, but additional prospective and longitudinal analyses and intervention trials are warranted to confirm this relationship.

The Association Between Maternal Factors and Preadolescent Breakfast Skipping: The Mediating Role of Preadolescent Attitudes Toward Breakfast

“…In the literature, the association between the sociodemographics of mothers and children and the latter's breakfast‐skipping behavior is inconsistent. A small number of studies have found no difference between male and female children in this regard (Albashtawy, ; Ostachowska‐Gasior, Piwowar, Kwiatkowski, Kasperczyk, & Skop‐Lewandowska, ; Stea et al., ), which is consistent with our findings. On the other hand, some studies have highlighted gender differences (Veghari & Mansourian, ; Vereecken et al., ).…”

“…Several reports also show that the prevalence of skipping breakfast increases with age, from early childhood through adolescence (Albashtawy, ; Smith et al., ; Stea, Vik, Bere, Svendsen, & Oellingrath, ). This finding supports the premise that early introduction of health‐promoting nutritional interventions would encourage regular breakfast consumption among children.…”

Breakfast consumption and adiposity among children and adolescents: an updated review of the literature

“…A cross‐sectional study considering breakfast consumption as an effect‐modifier of the relationship between eating frequency and obesity among 10‐ to 12‐year‐old boys found that, among children consuming more than three meals per day, the protective effect only held among breakfast consumers . Subsequent longitudinal studies add support to these findings .…”

Obesity prevention interventions in Saudi Arabian childrenbuilding the evidence base: An in-depth analysis of sociodemographic characteristics and dietary habits of obese and normal weight schoolchildren

“…It may be possible that the type, quantity, and/or quality of breakfast eaten at home, by those who were obese in our study, are poor choices. Research evidence examining the association between skipping meals and children's weight is limited [47,48], and, therefore, restricts our comparative analysis. However, our data showed no significant differences or association between skipping lunch and dinner, and weight status, as per a previous smaller Finnish study of 9 to 11 year old children [48].…”