Self-Reported Nutritional Status and Breakfast Characterization in Latin American University Students

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Dietary habits significantly influence the health and academic performance of university students.
• Breakfast consumption is often considered a key component of a healthy diet, but its association with overall dietary patterns in Latin American student populations requires further investigation.
• Socioeconomic factors and country-level human development may modulate the relationship between breakfast habits and nutritional status.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between the frequency of breakfast consumption and self-reported nutritional status and dietary patterns among university students in Latin America.
• To explore how country-level human development indicators influence this association.
• To identify specific food groups and dietary behaviors linked to regular breakfast consumption in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional, multicenter observational study involving university students from 11 Latin American countries.
• Data collected via an online, self-administered questionnaire covering food consumption and sociodemographic indicators.
• Logistic regression analysis was employed to investigate associations, with adjustments for various confounding factors.

Main Results:

• Significant associations were found between breakfast consumption and dietary patterns, including higher intake of oatmeal, fruits, and healthier dinner choices.
• Students who consumed breakfast regularly showed lower consumption of fast food, sugary drinks, and juices.
• In highly developed countries, breakfast consumption was positively associated with dairy intake and negatively with alcohol consumption, though overall associations diminished after full adjustment.

Conclusions:

• Regular breakfast consumption is consistently associated with healthier dietary patterns among Latin American university students, regardless of their country's human development level.
• The findings underscore the importance of promoting breakfast habits for improving overall diet quality in student populations.
• Interventions aimed at improving student nutrition should consider the broader dietary context and potential country-specific variations.