title: Association between meal frequency with anthropometric measures and blood pressure in Iranian children and adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to assess the association of meal frequency with anthropometric measures and blood pressure in Iranian children and adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this national survey, 14,880 students with 6-18 years of age were selected by stratified multistage sampling method from urban and rural regions of 30 provinces of Iran. Meal frequency was assessed by a questionnaire prepared based on global school-based student health survey. Physical measurements included height, weight, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The participation rate was 90.6% including 49.24% girls and 75.5% urban residents. Skipping breakfast and dinner were more frequent in girls than in boys (71.6% vs. 64.1%, 91.2% vs. 86.9%, respectively, P<0.05). Overweight, obesity, and abdominal obesity were more prevalent in those who had two meals, one meal, or very low intake (P<0.001) than those had three meals. There were no significant differences in SBP, DBP, and blood pressure across to different meal frequency groups (P>0.05). Students who had very low intake and one meal per week had a higher risk of abdominal obesity compared with those who had three meals (OR 1.7, 95% CI: 1.3-2.3, and OR 1.6, 95% CI: 1.4-2.0, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An inverse significant association between higher meal frequency and anthropometric indices was observed. Therefore, encouraging children and adolescents for regular meal intake should be considered as a health priority in the pediatric population.
authors.affiliation: Chronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Zeinab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ahadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Child Growth and Development Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Roya
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kelishadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qorbani
authors.affiliation: Obesity and Eating Habits Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Molecular-Cellular Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hoda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zahedi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Motlagh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Child Growth and Development Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Gelayol
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ardalan
authors.affiliation: Chronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Gita
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shafiee
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Emergencies, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Asayesh
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Bagher
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Larijani
authors.affiliation: Chronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran - rheshmat@tums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heshmat
mesh_terms: D008297:Male; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002648:Child; D000293:Adolescent; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D062407:Meals; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology