[Breakfast and snack of schooled adolescents in Santander].
OBJECTIVE
To study the breakfast model and food intake at mid-morning (snack) in schooled adolescents at Santander city.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was performed analyzing a sample of 403 adolescents: 232 girls (58%; 95% CI: 52%-62%) and 171 boys (42%; 95% CI: 38%-48%), with ages between 12 and 19 years, schooled at 12 second degree education centers of Santander, by means of a closed questionnaire and a recall 24 hours later.


RESULTS
Five percent (95% CI: 3.1%-7.6%) of the adolescents referred neglecting breakfast. The most consumed foods were milk (47%; 95% CI: 42%-52%), chocolate milk (40%; 95% CI: 36%-45%), and cookies (45%; 95%CI: 36%-45%). On the other hand, 63% of adolescents consume whole milk (95% CI: 58%-70%), 21% semi-skimmed milk (95%CI: 17%-26%), and 11% skimmed milk (95% CI: 8%-15%). A decreasing lineal tendency in whole milk consumption is observed and a parallel increase in consumption of milks with a lower fat content as the academic year of adolescents advances (Armitage's chi-square test for lineal tendency = 2.32; p = 0.02). Boys consume an average of 3.0 (SD = 1.35) different foods during breakfast and girls 2.4 (SD = 1.20). Forty-three percent (95% CI: 38%-48%) of adolescents have a snack, which means that 2% of adolescents do not have breakfast or a snack (95% CI: 1%-4%). Breakfast represents 18% (95% CI: 16%-19%) of the total daily energy intake, whereas for snack, this percentage is 16% (95% CI: 14%-17%).


CONCLUSIONS
it is necessary to promote consumption of a healthy breakfast and snack that provide an appropriate quantitative and qualitative intake.
de Rufino Rivas
P
P
Departamento de Ciencias Médicas y Quirúrgicas, Area de Pediatría, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, España. pedromanuel.derufino@unican.es
Redondo Figuero
C
C
Amigo Lanza
T
T
González-Lamuño
D
D
García Fuentes
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013030:Spain