title: Family sociodemographic characteristics as correlates of children's breakfast habits and weight status in eight European countries. The ENERGY (EuropeaN Energy balance Research to prevent excessive weight Gain among Youth) project.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present study was to investigate the associations of family sociodemographic characteristics with children's weight status and whether these potential associations are mediated by children's breakfast habits.
  
  
  METHODS
  A school-based survey among 10-12-year-old children was conducted in eight European countries. Children's weight and height were measured and breakfast habits and family sociodemographic characteristics were self-reported by 5444 children and their parents. International Obesity Task Force cut-off points were used to categorize children as overweight/obese or normal weight. Mediation analyses were used to test the potential mediating effect of children's breakfast consumption on the associations between family sociodemographic characteristics and children's overweight/obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Schools in eight European countries participating in the ENERGY (EuropeaN Energy balance Research to prevent excessive weight Gain among Youth) project.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children aged 10-12 years and their parents (n 5444).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children's reported daily breakfast consumption varied from 56 % in Slovenia to 92 % in Spain on weekdays and from 79 % in Greece to 93 % in Norway on weekends. Children of native parents, with both parents employed and with at least one parent having more than 14 years of education were more likely to consume breakfast daily and less likely to be overweight/obese. Finally, mediation analyses revealed that the association of parental nationality and parental educational status with children's overweight/obesity was partially mediated by children's daily breakfast consumption.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study shows that the lower likelihood of being overweight/obese among 10-12-year-old children of native background and higher parental educational status was partially mediated by children's daily breakfast consumption.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Nutrition and Dietetics,Harokopio University,70 El Venizelou Avenue,17671 Kallithea,Athens,Greece.
authors.forename: Yannis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Manios
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Nutrition and Dietetics,Harokopio University,70 El Venizelou Avenue,17671 Kallithea,Athens,Greece.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moschonis
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Nutrition and Dietetics,Harokopio University,70 El Venizelou Avenue,17671 Kallithea,Athens,Greece.
authors.forename: Odysseas
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Androutsos
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Nutrition and Dietetics,Harokopio University,70 El Venizelou Avenue,17671 Kallithea,Athens,Greece.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Filippou
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Public Health,Ghent University,Ghent,Belgium.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Van Lippevelde
authors.affiliation: 3Department of Public Health,Sport and Nutrition,University of Agder,Kristiansand,Norway.
authors.forename: Froydis N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Vik
authors.affiliation: 4Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research,VU University Medical Center,Amsterdam,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Saskia J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: te Velde
authors.affiliation: 5Slovenian Heart Foundation,Ljubljana,Slovenia.
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jan
authors.affiliation: 6Swiss Federal Institute of Sport,Magglingen,Switzerland.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dössegger
authors.affiliation: 3Department of Public Health,Sport and Nutrition,University of Agder,Kristiansand,Norway.
authors.forename: Elling
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bere
authors.affiliation: 7Department of Paediatrics,University of Pecs,Pecs,Hungary.
authors.forename: Denes
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Molnar
authors.affiliation: 8GENUD (Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development) Research Group,EU Ciencias de la Salud,Universidad de Zaragoza,Zaragoza,Spain.
authors.forename: Luis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: 9Department of Public and Occupational Health and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research,VU University Medical Center,Amsterdam,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mai J M
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Chinapaw
authors.affiliation: 10Department of Movement and Sport Sciences,Ghent University,Ghent,Belgium.
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: De Bourdeaudhuij
authors.affiliation: 4Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research,VU University Medical Center,Amsterdam,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brug
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D062408:Breakfast / Q000208:ethnology; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000208:ethnology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000193:education; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000208:ethnology; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005190:Family / Q000208:ethnology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Mediation analysis