Breakfast Eating in Elementary School Students in Jiroft, Iran: An Application of Transtheoretical Model

Abstract

Background: Breakfast is a very important meal. It can either make or break your day, and it can be a daunting task. Objectives: We used the transtheoretical model (TTM) to assess the trend of breakfast eating among elementary school students in Jiroft city, Iran. Methods: In this descriptive‑analytic research, 290 elementary school students in Jiroft city were selected using stratified sampling. Data were collected using a questionnaire to assess breakfast eating trends according to TTM. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 16. Results: Approximately 9.3% of the participants were in the precontemplation stage, 21.7% in the contemplation stage, 7.2% in the action stage, 53.4% in the preparation stage, and 8.3% in the maintenance stage. There was a significant relationship between TTM constructs and stages of change in breakfast consumption 2 or more times a week. Moving from the precontemplation stage to the maintenance stage was associated with an increase in decisional balance, processes of change, and self‑efficacy (P < 0.05). Conclusions: It is suggested to emphasize the importance of perceived benefits and greater self-efficacy in the design of educational interventions based on this model, increase the use of change processes, and decrease the perceived barriers as much as possible to establish correct behaviors.