Breakfast Cereal and Nutrition Education on Body Mass Index and Diet Quality in Elementary School Children: A Pilot Study

Journal Title: International Journal of Nutrition - Year 2015, Vol 1, Issue 1

Abstract

Objective: Skipping breakfast has been associated with an increased risk of obesity. This randomized controlled pilot study tested whether emphasizing breakfast consumption, in conjunction with nutrition counseling, would improve weight status and dietary quality in children. Design and Methods: Twenty children were recruited and randomized to a breakfast (BF, n=11) or control (n=9) intervention. Both groups received weekly group nutrition counseling for 12 wk but breakfast consumption was emphasized, and ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal provided, to BF only. Anthropometric measurements were taken weekly. Three-day food records were taken at baseline and endpoint. Results: Weight status did not change significantly, however, children in BF displayed an overall decrease in BMI (-1.0±5.1%) whereas children in the control group had an overall increase (1.1±7.2%) from baseline (P=0.52). Three-day food records (BF, n=6; control, n=5) revealed group x time interactions on total sugars (P=0.007), folate (P=0.05), vitamin B12 (P=0.03), sodium (P=0.05), niacin (P=0.009), and vitamin B6 (P=0.023). Except for sodium, BF had improvements in these nutrients relative to the control group. Conclusions: Preliminary data from this study show that the provision of RTE cereal with weekly nutrition counseling may positively affect intake of essential nutrients. The effects of breakfast consumption on weight status are still uncertain.

Authors and Affiliations

Marie-Pierre St-Onge, Christine Buck, Kathleen L. Keller

Keywords

Related Articles

An Observational Study of Practice Among Food Manufacturers in Defining Serving Sizes of Chocolate Confectionery Products Sold in UK Supermarkets

Objective To provide data on the consistency of recommended serving sizes of single bars and bags of chocolate confectionery products sold in UK supermarkets, in terms of weight and energy content. Methods Data were obt...

Age Variation in Bitter Taste Perception in Relation to the Tas2r38 Taste Receptor Phenotype

Objectives Taste sensitivity is an important determinant of food choice and differs between children and adults. This difference is probably due to several factors that constitute an individual’s phenotype. The aim of th...

Barriers to Physical Activity and Healthy Eating in Children as Perceived by Low-Income Parents: A Case Study

During the past three decades the prevalence of childhood obesity has steadily increased in the United States. Causes of childhood obesity are complex and include numerous individual and environmental factors. The purpos...

Influence of Chemical Refining Processes on the Total Phenolics and Antioxidant Activity of Sunflower Oil

The raw sunflower oil (SFO) has an undesirable flavour and odour. Therefore, to make it suitable for human consumption, the oil has to undergo a number of refining processes such as degumming, neutralization, bleaching a...

Epigenetics and Nutrition

Epigenetic mechanisms based on DNA methylation, histone modifications and RNA interference have recently showed important association to the development of a wide variety of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular, metab...

Download PDF file
  • EP ID EP280082
  • DOI 10.14302/issn.2379-7835.ijn-14-534
  • Views 156
  • Downloads 0

How To Cite

Marie-Pierre St-Onge, Christine Buck, Kathleen L. Keller (2015). Breakfast Cereal and Nutrition Education on Body Mass Index and Diet Quality in Elementary School Children: A Pilot Study. International Journal of Nutrition, 1(1), 33-45. https://europub.co.uk/articles/-A-280082