title: Breakfast habits among European adolescents and their association with sociodemographic factors: the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe breakfast habits at food group level in European adolescents and to investigate the associations between these habits and sociodemographic factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Secondary schools from nine European cities participating in the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) Study. Breakfast habits were assessed twice using a computer-based 24 h dietary recall. Adolescents who consumed breakfast on at least one recall day were classified as 'breakfast consumers' and adolescents who did not have anything for breakfast on either of the two recall days were considered 'breakfast skippers'. A 'breakfast quality index' to describe breakfast quality was created based on the consumption or non-consumption of cereals/cereal products, dairy products and fruits/vegetables. The sociodemographic factors studied were sex, age, region of Europe, maternal and paternal education, family structure and family affluence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adolescents (n 2672, 53 % girls) aged 12-17 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of the adolescents reported a breakfast that scored poorly on the breakfast quality index. Older adolescents, adolescents from the southern part of Europe and adolescents from families with low socio-economic status were more likely to consume a low-quality breakfast.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study highlights the need to promote the consumption of a high-quality breakfast among adolescents, particularly in older adolescents, adolescents from southern Europe and adolescents from families with low socio-economic status, in order to improve public health.
authors.affiliation: School of Health, Care and Social Welfare, Box 883, Mälardalens University, 72123 Västerås, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hallström
authors.forename: Carine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Vereecken
authors.forename: Idoia
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Labayen
authors.forename: Jonatan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Le Donne
authors.forename: Magdalena Cuenca
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Chantal C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.forename: Sonia Gómez
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grammatikaki
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Huybrechts
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kafatos
authors.forename: Mathilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kersting
authors.forename: Yannis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Manios
authors.forename: Dénes
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Molnár
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Widhalm
authors.forename: Tineke
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: De Vriendt
authors.forename: Luis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sjöström
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005060:Europe; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors