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

ABSTRACT Objective To estimate the association of infrequent breakfast consumption with socioeconomic, behavioral, and individual factors in a sample of Brazilian adolescents from public schools. Methods Cross-sectional study with adolescents aged from 14 to 19 from public schools in Juiz de Fora, state of Minas Gerais. The frequency of consumption of breakfast, snacks, soft drinks, industrialized drinks, the usual food consumption, body mass index, body fat percentage, and waist circumference were evaluated. Other socioeconomic, behavioral, and individual data were obtained through questionnaires. Logistic regression analysis and hierarchical selection of variables were used to verify the associated factors. Results The sample consisted of 805 adolescents; 53.4% reported infrequent breakfast consumption. Through hierarchical logistic regression analysis, it was evidenced that the house occupancy status (OR: 0.618; 95%CI: 0.4410.865; p=0.005) was the distal factor associated with infrequent breakfast consumption; the intermediate factors were the consumption of industrialized beverages (OR: 0.658; 95%CI: 0.486-0.890; p=0.007) and percentage of energy from processed foods (OR: 0.935; 95%CI: 0.907-0.964; p<0.001); and the proximal factors were the male gender (OR: 0.696; 95%CI: 0.520-0.932; p=0.0015) and being nonwhite (OR: 1.529; 95%CI: 1.131-2.069; p=0.006). Conclusion Male adolescents who lived in owned houses, with occasional consumption of industrialized beverages and a higher percentage of energy derived from processed foods, had lower chances of infrequent breakfast consumption, while non-white adolescents had higher chances.