Background:
There is a lack of data regarding breakfast consumption and quality among college students in
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of breakfast consumption and examine the effect of
breakfast location on breakfast nutritional quality and obesity risk among female college students at Taibah University.
Methods:
A total of 658 students participated in this cross-sectional study. Based on the Child and Adult Care Food
Program (CACFP) recommendations, breakfast quality scores were computed by summing the individual food
components and categorizing participants according to tertiles of the breakfast score distribution. Mixed-effects repeatedmeasures models were used to examine BMI categories with increasing tertiles of breakfast quality scores, stratified by
breakfast location.
Results and Discussion:
Approximately 68% of participants reported eating breakfast regularly. The mean breakfast
quality score was determined for students who had breakfast at home (12.5 ± 0.11), at college (10.41± 0.06), and in other
places (8.19± 0.48). Obesity was associated with lower average breakfast quality scores based on breakfast location [mean
quintile 3 compared with 1 difference: home 13.6 (P < 0.001), college 9.1 (P < 0.001), other 8.6 (P < 0.001).
Conclusion:
The findings presented here indicated that a high percentage of students consume breakfast regularly.
Students who ate breakfast at home had high scores, which indicated good breakfast quality and a decreased risk of
obesity. Further research on breakfast quality is needed in this area, as it affects the nutritional status and quality of life of
the younger population.
Association between breakfast consumption frequency and the risk of irritable bowel syndrome among Chinese female college students
