Lifestyle and socioeconomic correlates of breakfast skipping in Hong Kong primary 4 schoolchildren.

OBJECTIVE Although breakfast is associated with different benefits, breakfast skipping is increasingly common among children. This study aimed to identify lifestyle and socioeconomic correlates of breakfast skipping in Hong Kong schoolchildren. METHODS 68,606 primary 4 participants of the Department of Health Student Health Service in 1998-2000 reported breakfast habit and other lifestyle characteristics using a standardized questionnaire. Height and weight were measured by trained SHS nurses. Socioeconomic data were reported by parents. In cross-sectional analysis, multivariate logistic regression was used to identify lifestyle and socioeconomic correlates of breakfast skipping. RESULTS 3,598 subjects (5.2%) usually skipped breakfast. Breakfast skipping was associated with being overweight (Odds ratio=1.59, 95% CI: 1.46 to 1.73) and obese (2.06, 1.80 to 2.36), and unhealthy dietary habits including more frequent junk food (1.23, 1.14 to 1.33) but less frequent fruit/vegetable (1.23, 1.13 to 1.34) and milk (1.98, 1.80 to 2.16) intake. Breakfast skippers tended to skip lunch, do less extra-curricular physical activity, watch more television and have less educated parents. CONCLUSIONS Breakfast skipping was significantly related to various health-compromising lifestyle characteristics and lower parental education. Breakfast habit can be a potential lifestyle indicator. Education programmes aimed at specific target groups should encourage regular breakfast consumption.