Socioeconomic inequality in breakfast skipping among Norwegian adolescents

Skipping breakfast is associated with negative health-related and school-related outcomes. Breakfast is the most frequently skipped meal among adolescents. Thus, there is a need to explore the reasons for breakfast skipping across population subgroups to better inform policy makers. The purpose of this study was to present the prevalence of adolescents skipping breakfast on schooldays, analyse the reasons for skipping breakfast and assess associations between the prevalence of skipping breakfast and the reasons for skipping breakfast according to sociodemographic variables.

The data of a random sample of 10 000 upper secondary school students (aged 16-18 years) from Viken County, Norway, were collected. Students completed a questionnaire measuring breakfast skipping, reasons for skipping breakfast, and sociodemographic variables. Chi-square tests were used to assess differences between the independent groups (family affluence scale (FAS), parental education, and gender) and skipping breakfast and reasons for skipping breakfast.

22% of adolescents reported that they usually skipped breakfast on all schooldays. Skipping breakfast was more prevalent among females, older students, students with lower socioeconomic status and students in vocational education programmes. The difference in breakfast skipping between students with low and high FAS scores was 31% versus 16%, respectively. The most common self-reported reasons for skipping breakfast were time (59%) and not wanting to eat breakfast (48%). Furthermore, 9% reported health issues, and 3% reported economic constraints as a reason for skipping breakfast. Not wanting to eat breakfast was related to a higher FAS score, health issues were more common among girls, and economic constraints were more common among those with low socioeconomic status.

Skipping breakfast was common among Norwegian upper secondary school students. Lack of time and not wanting breakfast were clearly the most cited reasons for skipping breakfast. Health issues and economic constraints were also cited but were less common. The results showed diverging associations between different demographic characteristics and reasons for skipping breakfast. These results are important for developing effective programs to improve diet among adolescents.