Effects of skipping breakfast on dietary intake and circulating and urinary nutrients during pregnancy

More than 20% of pregnant Japanese women regularly skip breakfast, thereby resulting in a low intake of several nutrients that are required for fetal development and prevention of pregnancy complications. However, whether skipping breakfast affects circulating levels of these nutrients remains unclear. We investigated whether skipping breakfast during pregnancy was associated with decreases in dietary intake and circulating and urinary levels of several nutrients, including fatty acids and vitamins.

This cross-sectional study was conducted at a university hospital in Tokyo, Japan, between June and October 2010. Nutrient intakes were assessed using a validated diet history questionnaire. Blood and 24-hour urinary samples were collected for assessing circulating and urinary excretion levels of nutrients. Skipping breakfast was defined as forgoing breakfast including a staple food, such as rice or bread, two or more times per week. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to compare nutrient levels between breakfast skippers and non-skippers after adjusting for confounders.

Of 97 healthy pregnant women in the second trimester, 37 (38.1%) skipped breakfast two or more times per week. In multiple linear regression analysis, breakfast skippers had significant lower energy-adjusted intakes of protein than non-skippers (p=0.019). In addition, breakfast skippers had significantly lower levels of plasma eicosapentaenoic acid (p=0.008), plasma docosahexaenoic acid (p=0.027), serum β- carotene (p=0.013), urinary urea nitrogen (p=0.027), and urinary potassium (p=0.006), compared to non-skippers.

Healthcare professionals need to suggest effective strategies for encouraging breakfast skippers to have breakfast regularly and to increase the intake of these nutrients.