Citation

Ahadi Z, Kelishadi R, Qorbani M, Zahedi H, Aram M, Motlagh ME, Ardalan G, Shafiee G, Arzaghi SM, Asayesh H, Heshmat R. Indian J. Pediatr. 2016; 83(9): 922-929.

Affiliation

Chronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, # 111, 19th St, North Kargar Ave., Tehran, Iran. rheshmat@tums.ac.ir.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, K C Chaudhuri Foundation and All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Publisher Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s12098-016-2049-7

PMID

26935200

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship of breakfast intake with psychiatric distress and violent behaviors among Iranian children and adolescents.

METHODS: This national survey was conducted among 14,880 students, aged 6-18 y. They were selected by stratified multistage sampling method from urban and rural areas of 30 provinces of Iran. Breakfast intake, psychiatric distress, and violent behaviors were assessed by a questionnaire prepared based on the Global school-based student health survey of the World Health Organization. The data were analyzed by the STATA package.

RESULTS: The participation rate was 90.6 %. The percentage of psychiatric distress among breakfast skippers, semi-skippers and non-skippers was 13.4-50.4, 10.1-41.9, and 7.0-33.3 % respectively. The prevalence of psychiatric distress was significantly higher among breakfast skippers than semi-skippers and non-skippers (P value < 0.001). The frequency of psychiatric distress had a significant decreasing trend from breakfast skippers to non-skippers. The prevalence of violent behaviors was significantly higher among breakfast skippers than non-skippers. Students who skipped breakfast reported to be more victimized (29.2 % vs. 26.7 %, respectively, P = 0.04), bullied (21.0 % vs. 16.2 %, respectively, P < 0.001), and had more physical fight (42.6 % vs. 38.5 %, respectively, P = 0.0001) than their other counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS: Students who regularly consumed breakfast were less likely to experience mental health disorders and violent behavior. Adhering to a regular and balanced diet, besides the awareness of parents on the importance of breakfast eating, may be an appropriate approach for preventing mental health problems and violent behavior in children and adolescents.

Language: en