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

Abstract

Background: Although skipping breakfast is common among children and adolescents, daily breakfast consumption is a healthy habit that is particularly important in childhood. There is a link between children's attitudes toward breakfast, breakfast-skipping behaviors, and maternal factors. Evidence demonstrating a clear relationship between maternal factors and preadolescent attitudes and behaviors toward breakfast skipping is scarce.Aims: This study aims to examine the mediation effect of preadolescent attitudes toward breakfast on the associations between maternal involvement (encouragement and control of breakfast eating) and preadolescent breakfast skipping. Methods:A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted across Jordan in public and private primary schools in 2015. A sample of 1,915 preadolescent students (10-11 years) and their mothers (N = 1,299) was generated through proportional cluster stratification sampling. The interrelationships were examined among the participants' demographics, the number of preadolescent skipped breakfasts during a given week, self-reported attitudes toward breakfast, and perceived maternal encouragement and control of breakfast-eating variables.Results: Analysis revealed that preadolescent attitudes toward breakfast and mothers' involvement in preadolescent breakfast were negatively correlated with preadolescent breakfast skipping. Linear regressions revealed that maternal involvement (i.e., encouragement and control of breakfast eating, and educational attainment levels) was predictive of preadolescent attitudes toward breakfast consumption. Multiple regressions using bootstrapping analysis showed that preadolescent attitudes partially mediated the effect of mothers' control and encouragement of breakfast consumption over preadolescent breakfast-skipping behavior.Linking Evidence to Action: Results suggest that preadolescent attitudes, maternal encouragement, and control of breakfast eating influenced preadolescent breakfast skipping. These findings emphasize the importance of carefully assessing preadolescent attitudes toward breakfast, maternal encouragement, and control of breakfast consumption when developing interventions aimed at reducing breakfast-skipping behavior.

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

“…The prevalence rates of breakfast skipping seem to vary among children and adolescents, although this behaviour generally tends to increase with age 19 . In this study, the prevalence of breakfast skipping was 29.2%, similar to the findings of previous studies on older adolescents 20,21 . Frequent breakfast skipping is a common practice among adolescents for various reasons, such as lack of time, oversleeping, the desire to lose weight and maternal neglect 22 .…”

“…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.…”

“…19 In this study, the prevalence of breakfast skipping was 29.2%, similar to the findings of previous studies on older adolescents. 20,21 Frequent breakfast skipping is a common practice among adolescents for various reasons, such as lack of time, oversleeping, the desire to lose weight and maternal neglect. 22 Although the reasons for skipping breakfast were not documented in this study, the prevalence rate was likely similar to those of other studies due to the previously cited factors.…”