Breakfast size is associated with daily energy intake and diet quality
Wenjie Wang Nutrition Volumes 75–76, July–August 2020, 110764
Highlights
• Consuming more energy at breakfast relative to daily energy intake was associated with better dietary profiles and lower daily energy intake in a large nutrition survey.
• Those consuming more than 25.5% of energy at breakfast had higher diet quality scores but similar daily energy intakes than breakfast skippers.
• Shifting the distribution of daily energy intake toward the breakfast meal may be a potential strategy to improve dietary intakes and reduce overall energy intake.
Objectives
The aim of this study was to investigate the role of breakfast consumption and breakfast size on daily energy, nutrient intakes, and diet quality.
Methods
One-day 24-h recall data from the 2011 to 2012 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (n = 9341, adults ≥ 19 y) were analyzed, and respondents were classified into breakfast consumers or skippers. Breakfast consumers were further classified into quartile of breakfast size (energy intake [EI] from breakfast × 100%/daily EI). Diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index for Australian Adults. General linear modeling was undertaken to compare groups, adjusting for potential confounders.
Results
Overall, 85.9% of adults consumed breakfast, contributing a mean of 19.9 ± 10.9% of daily EI for consumers. Among breakfast consumers, obtaining a higher proportion of daily EI from breakfast was associated with lower daily intakes of energy, added sugars, saturated fat, and alcohol (%E); higher intakes of dietary fiber (%E) and most micronutrients (per 1000 kJ); and better Healthy Eating Index for Australian Adults scores (Ptrend < 0.0001). Additionally, those in the highest quartile of breakfast size (>25.5% EI) had higher diet quality scores (P < 0.001) but similar daily EI (P = 0.751) compared with breakfast skippers.
Conclusions
These findings indicate that obtaining a higher proportion of daily EI from breakfast may result in more favorable dietary profiles and lower daily EI. Further research is needed to confirm this.