Factors associated with breakfast skipping and its attitude among undergraduate students of King Khalid University

Abstract

Background: Breakfast is one of the essential meals needed for normal growth. Skipping breakfast can cause poor concentration, fatigue, irritability, obesity, and high blood pressure, in university students. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with skipping breakfast and its attitude among university students. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted using a sample of 368 students. The sample was selected by a simple random sampling technique. A web-based, self-administered, electronic questionnaire was used to collect the data. Results: Breakfast skipping was found in 62.4% of the participants. The most common reasons for breakfast skipping included not getting up early, not feeling hungry in the morning, and the burden of learning. The most common types of food consumed by the study subjects were juices, eggs, and cheese. A statistically significant negative relationship was found between breakfast skipping and students' overall breakfast attitudes as well as between skipping breakfast and the Cumulative Grade Point Average of the studied participants. However, there is a statistically significant positive relationship between breakfast skipping, body mass index, and the time of early morning awakening of the respondents. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that breakfast skipping was prevalent among students and their overall attitudes toward breakfast were neutral. Raising public awareness about the importance of breakfast and its impact on academic achievement by organizing and executing nutritional programs, particularly for the university students is required.