Predictors of breakfast skipping among 14 to 16 years old adolescents in Jordan: The influential role of mothers

Abstract

Aim:To assess the prevalence and identify the predictors of breakfast skipping among 14-to 16-year-old adolescents in Jordan, focusing on mother-related variables.Background: Breakfast is an essential meal across one's entire lifespan and especially important during the adolescent years. The practice of skipping breakfast has become so prevalent among adolescents that it is now a well-documented nutritional problem.Design: A descriptive cross-sectional correlational design. Methods:A proportional cluster stratified sampling protocol was used to select 1896 adolescents and their mothers (1013) during the period of March to June 2016. A self-reported questionnaire was used to collect data on breakfast-skipping rates, the perceived reasons for this behavior, the perceived importance of consuming breakfast, and maternal encouragement of breakfast consumption. Results:The prevalence of breakfast skipping was 34.3% among adolescents and 21.5% among their mothers. A significant association was found between breakfast skipping among adolescents and their mothers (χ 2 [1, n = 998] = 37.90, P = .001).Maternal encouragement of breakfast consumption, gender, and adolescent perception of the importance of this meal were found to be significant predictors of adolescent breakfast skipping. Conclusion:The findings highlight the importance of involving mothers in developing nutritional health plans aimed at promoting regular breakfast consumption among adolescents.

Sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with breakfast skipping among high school students

“…34 For example, maternal encouragement of breakfast consumption is a significant predictor of adolescent breakfast habits. 21,35 Our results suggest that parents, who regulate their children's lifestyle-related behaviours, such as media use, may also be more likely to encourage breakfast eating.…”

Factors associated with non-frequent breakfast consumption in adolescents (EVA-JF Study)

“…Male adolescents had smaller chances of not having breakfast frequently than female ones. Similarly, other studies [52][53][54] demonstrated that the omission or unusual consumption of breakfast is more common among female children or adolescents. According to these authors, this is possibly so because girls are often more concerned or conscious of their appearance, with a relevant influence of the media on these issues.…”

“…According to these authors, this is possibly so because girls are often more concerned or conscious of their appearance, with a relevant influence of the media on these issues. Reinforcing this hypothesis, in their study with Jordanian adolescents of both sexes, Ali et al [52] observed that over a third of the participants believed that omitting breakfast would lead to weight loss.…”

Adolescence and young adulthood: Time to recognise and respond to unique needs

“…Disengagement from health care services is commonplace even where adolescents and young adults do not have chronic illness, citing factors such as costs to attend, discomfort in disclosing health concerns, and fears about lack of confidentiality (Tylee, Haller, Graham, Churchill, & Sanci, ). Disregard of health behaviours such as healthy eating is common (Ali, Abdel Razeq, Al‐Kloub, & Alzoubi, ).…”