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Updated: Mar 18, 2026

Breakfast Habits among Schoolchildren in the City of Uruguaiana, Brazil
Published on: July 29, 2020
Daily meal frequency and associated variables in children and adolescents
Fabiana A Silva1, Samara M Candiá1, Marina S Pequeno1
1Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Departamento de Nutrição, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil.
Objective:
To investigate the frequency distribution of daily meals and its relation to demographic, socioeconomic, behavioral, anthropometric and biochemical factors in children and adolescents.
Methods:
This was a cross-sectional study with a representative sample of 708 schoolchildren aged 7-14 years. Data on personal information, socioeconomic status, physical activity and number of meals were obtained through semi-structured questionnaire and consumption by 24-h recall and food record. Weight and height measurements were also performed to calculate the body mass index. Finally, blood samples were collected for analysis of total cholesterol, high- and low density lipoprotein, triglyceride, and glucose levels. Descriptive statistics, the Mann-Whitney test, and Poisson regression were used in statistical analysis.
Results:
Meal frequency <4 was associated in children, family income <3 Brazilian minimum wages (PR=5.42; 95% CI: 1.29-22.77; p=0.021) and adolescents, the number of sons in the family >2 (PR=1.53; 95% CI: 1.11-2.11; p=0.010). Even in the age group of 10-14 years, <4 meals was related to higher prevalence of body mass index (PR=1.33; 95% CI: 1.02-1.74; p=0.032) and low-density lipoprotein (PR=1.39; 95% CI: 1.03-1.87; p=0.030) higher after adjustments.
Conclusion:
Lower frequency of meals was related to lower income in children and adolescents, larger number of sons in the family, and increased values of body mass index and low-density lipoprotein.
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