Breakfast Habits and Family Structure Associated with Overweight and Obesity in General Basic Students, Ecuador

Aim: This study aimed to characterise the consumption and type of breakfast associated with overweight and obesity in students of the Quito Metropolitan area in the academic year 2010-2011. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Quito municipal schools during the academic year 2010- 2011. Methodology: We surveyed 6964 students (3254 males, 3710 females; age range 9 -17 years), previously classified by their body mass index. The self-administered questionnaire, completed in class time asked about breakfast habits, physical activity, type and stage of family. Results: 6939 students (99.6%) answered the question about usually eating breakfast. Of these, 5.4% (CI95% 4.87-5.94) reported not eating breakfast, this response being given by 6.8% of the girls (CI95% 6.0-7.6) and 3.7% of the boys (CI95% 3.1-4.4). Not eating breakfast was more common among the students aged 15 years (11.9% CI95% 8.2-15.7), 16 years (19.5% CI95% 12.8-26.3) and 17 years (17.9% CI95% 10.3-26.9). The crude OR for weight excess and not breakfasting 1.44 (CI95% 1.16-1.80) was strengthened after adjustment by age, sex, family type, family stage, sedentarism and health zone: OR 1.54 (CI95% 1.16-2.05). There was no significant association between eating a non-recommended breakfast and weight excess when adjusted by the mentioned variables. Conclusion: Not eating breakfast is associated with overweight and obesity, this problem being enhanced in girls who skipped breakfast twice as much as boys. Also, students living in launch pad families eat breakfast more often and suffer less from excess weight.