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The contribution of breakfast to the diets of a sample of 136 primary-schoolchildren in Edinburgh

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

C. H. S. Ruxton ,
K. R. O'sullivan ,
T. R. Kirk  and
N. R. Beltons
C. H. S. Ruxton
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Queen Margaret College, Edinburgh EH12 8TS
K. R. O'sullivan
Affiliation:
Kellogg Company of Great Britain Limited, Talbot Road, Manchester MI6 0PU
T. R. Kirk
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Queen Margaret College, Edinburgh EH12 8TS
N. R. Beltons
Affiliation:
Department of Child Life and Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 1UW
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Abstract

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The contribution of breakfast to mean daily energy and nutrient intakes was investigated in a sample of 7-8-year-old children recruited by letter from five Scottish schools. After eighteen families dropped out of the study and three dietary records were discarded, thefinal sample numbered 136 (51%). Dietary data were collected using the 7 d weighed inventory, while a questionnaire was used to classify children into manual or non-manual social class groups. Mean daily energy intakes were close to estimated average requirements (Department of Health, 1991), while intakes of most micronutrients were in excess of reference nutrient intakes (RNI; Department of Health, 1991). The most popular breakfast consumed by the children was oneincluding a ready-to-eat breakfast cereal (RTEBC). Differences in macronutrient content were seen between breakfasts of boys and girls, while manual-social-class children ate breakfasts which were lower in energy, NSP and certain micronutrients than those of non-manual-class children. Breakfast contributed 14% of energy and 9-36% of micronutrient intakes to the overall diets.Breakfasts including RTEBC contributed significantly more energy and nutrients than other types of breakfast. Children who ate RTEBC nearly every day had overall diets which had a highernutrient density and were lower in fat than those of children who ate RTEBC less frequently ornot at all. Intakes of most micronutrients were above tbe RNI in both these groups, with the exception of folate, Fe and vitamin A, which were below the RNI for those consuming RTEBC infrequently. However, the type of breakfast eaten did not appear to influence energy and nutrient intakes at other meals during the day.Nevertheless, it was concluded that breakfast, particularly one containing RTEBC, had a strong influence on the daily energy and nutrient intakes of 7-8-year-old children, particularly by reducing the proportion of energy from fat.

Keywords

Nutrient intakeBreakfastSchoolchildren
Type
Breakfast in the diets of scottish schoolchildren
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 75 , Issue 3 , March 1996 , pp. 419 - 431
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1996

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