Objective: The objective was to describe the pattern of breakfast eating over time ("breakfast history") and examine its associations with BMI and physical activity.
Research methods and procedures: This longitudinal investigation of patterns of breakfast eating included 1,210 black and 1,161 white girls who participated in the 10-year, longitudinal National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Growth and Health Study (NGHS). Three-day food records were collected during annual visits beginning at ages 9 or 10 up to age 19. Linear regression and path analysis were used to estimate the associations between breakfast history, BMI, and physical activity.
Results: Among girls with a high BMI at baseline, those who ate breakfast more often had lower BMI at the end of the study (age 19), compared with those who ate breakfast less often. Path analysis indicated that energy intake and physical activity mediated the association between patterns of breakfast eating over time and BMI in late adolescence.
Discussion: The association between regular breakfast consumption over time and moderation of body weight among girls who began the study with relatively high BMI suggests that programs to address overweight in children and adolescents should emphasize the importance of physical activity and eating breakfast consistently.