title: Breakfast consumption and meal frequency interaction with childhood obesity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Increased meal frequency and daily breakfast consumption have been inversely associated with childhood obesity. The purpose of the study was to examine the possible interaction effect between meal frequency and breakfast consumption on childhood obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven hundred children (323 boys) aged 10-12 years were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Several lifestyle, dietary and physical activity characteristics were recorded with food frequency and physical activity questionnaires. Body height and weight were measured and body mass index was calculated in order to classify children as overweight or obese (International Obesity Task Force classification). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used in order to evaluate the interaction between daily breakfast intake and more than three meals per day consumption with overweight or obesity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the children, 27.6% and 9.0% were overweight and obese, respectively. Moreover, 60.2% consumed three or more meals per day and 62.7% consumed breakfast in a regular daily basis. Children who consumed more than three meals per day and also consumed breakfast daily, were two times less likely to be overweight or obese (adjusted odds ratio: 0.49, 95% confidence interval: 0.27-0.88).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A combined higher meal frequency and daily breakfast consumption dietary pattern may prevent overweight and obesity in children.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Pediatrics, Attikon Hospital, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece. gantonogeorgos@gmail.com
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Antonogeorgos
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Panagiotakos
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papadimitriou
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Priftis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anthracopoulos
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nicolaidou
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires