BMC Nutrition (Jun 2022)

Breakfast skipping and its relationship with academic performance in Ethiopian school-aged children, 2019

  • Lulu Abebe,
  • Nebiyu Mengistu,
  • Tinsae Shemelise Tesfaye,
  • Robel Hussen Kabthymer,
  • Wondwosen Molla,
  • Desalegn Tarekegn,
  • Aregahegn Wudneh,
  • Misrak Negash Shonor,
  • Solomon Yimer

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-022-00545-4
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 1
pp. 1 – 7

Abstract

Read online

Abstract Breakfast skipping and its relationship with academic achievement among primary school children were investigated in this study. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 848 primary school children. Breakfast skipping was analyzed using a 2-item questionnaire. A 19-item Social Academic and Emotional Behavior Risk Screening questionnaire was used to collect data on children’s behavior. The prevalence of breakfast skipping was found to be 38.1%. Living in a rural area (AOR = 5.2; 95% CI: 3.54, 7.71); having illiterate parents (AOR = 6.66; 95% CI 3.0, 14.7); having parents with a primary education level (AOR 5.18, 95% CI: 2.25, 11.94); living with guardians or other relatives (AOR = 4.06; 95%CI: 2.1, 7.9); and having lower academic achievement (AOR = 2.76; 95% CI: 1.44, 5.29) were factors associated with skipping breakfast. In conclusion, breakfast skipping has been identified as a significant public health concern that requires an immediate response from stakeholders. It is recommended to intervene based on the identified factors.

Keywords