Meal Frequency and Breakfast Consumption are Associated with Childhood Obesity

Obesity and overweight are the most common nutritional condition in the world. Overweight or obese children are at a higher risk of serious health problems, also increased risk of obesity, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), and premature death in adulthood. According to the new estimates, the number of overweight children worldwide increased from 32 million to 42 million between 2000 and 2013. Most cases of childhood obesity is due to the personal lifestyle choices and cultural environment. Some previous studies have demonstrated an inverse effect of breakfast consumption and more meal frequency on obesity or overweight in children. They show that prevalence of obesity have decreased by number of daily meals, so that children who had more than three meals per day, were two times less likely to be obese. Also, children who consumed breakfast almost all days had a significantly lower BMI and a healthy body weight in comparison with children eating breakfast only sometimes or almost never. One study suggested that this effect of having breakfast on child’s weight may due to a more even distribution of energy intake across meals throughout the day. Otherwise, children who ate breakfast less than 7 days in a week, had a lower diet quality and concentrated energy intakes with higher protein intakes at lunch, and consumption of snacks higher in energy and carbohydrates in the afternoon and evening; yet total daily energy intakes were not significantly different between this two groups. It can be concluded that combined effect of more meal frequency and daily breakfast dietary pattern may prevent childhood overweight and obesity.

Keywords:

Childhood Obesity , Breakfast Consumption , Meal Frequency