Breakfast consumption by African-American and white adolescent girls correlates positively with calcium and fiber intake and negatively with body mass index.
OBJECTIVE
To describe age- and race-related differences in breakfast consumption and to examine the association of breakfast intake with dietary calcium and fiber and body mass index (BMI).


METHODS
Data from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Growth and Health Study, a 9-year, longitudinal biracial cohort study with annual 3-day food records.


METHODS
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Growth and Health Study recruited 2,379 girls (1,166 white and 1,213 African American), aged 9 or 10 years at baseline for an observational study. Retention rates were very high at visits two through four (96%, 94%, and 91%), but declined to a low of 82% at visit seven, and increased to 89% at visit 10.


METHODS
Frequency of breakfast consumption, dietary calcium and fiber, and BMI.


METHODS
Generalized estimation equations methodology was used to examine differences in the frequency of breakfast eating by age and race. Generalized estimation equations analyses were also conducted to test whether breakfast consumption was predictive of intake of dietary calcium and fiber, and BMI, adjusting for potentially confounding effects of site, age, race, parental education, physical activity, and total energy intake.


RESULTS
Frequency of breakfast eating declined with age, white girls reported more frequent breakfast consumption than African-American girls, and the racial difference decreased with increasing age. Days eating breakfast were associated with higher calcium and fiber intake in all models, regardless of adjustment variables. Days eating breakfast were predictive of lower BMI in models that adjusted for basic demographics (ie, site, age, and race), but the independent effect of breakfast was no longer significant after parental education, energy intake, and physical activity were added to the model.


CONCLUSIONS
Dietetics professionals need to promote the importance of consuming breakfast to all children and adolescents, especially African-American girls.
Affenito
Sandra G
SG
Department of Nutrition, Saint Joseph College, West Hartford, CT, USA.
Thompson
Douglas R
DR
Barton
Bruce A
BA
Franko
Debra L
DL
Daniels
Stephen R
SR
Obarzanek
Eva
E
Schreiber
George B
GB
Striegel-Moore
Ruth H
RH
D000293:Adolescent; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015930:Diet Records; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004435:Eating; D004522:Educational Status; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D004043:Dietary Fiber