The Contribution of Having Breakfast to the Nutrition of Students and Its Effect on Academic Performance

Abstract

It has been suggested that good breakfast habit contributes not only to the daily energy and nutrient requirements of children and adolescents but also have positive effects on academic performance as well. However, being the fırst meal o f the day, breakfast is the most skipped meal. The purpose o f the study was to determine the breakfast habits, the contribution of having breakfast on daily energy and nutrient intake of students and its effect on academic performance. Data were obtained from students chosen by simple randomised method, attending faculties and colleges of Erciyes University in Kayseri by a questionnaire and students’ three-consecutive days food records were taken. The contribution o f breakfast to daily energy and nutrient requirements was accepted as one fourth of daily requirements. Academic performance was evaluated according to the grades dotained from the courses. This study was conducted on 369junior students (206 boys and 163 girls). The mean (±S) age and body mass index (BMI) o f the students were 21.8±1.4 years and 21.8±2.2 kg/m2 respectively (p<0.05). While 42% o f the students were having breakfast regülarly, 58% of them were skipping the breakfast. The students who regularly had breakfast were living together with their families (47.1%) and the students who skipped breakfast were living together with their friends at home (%40.2). The majority o f students who regülarly had breakfast had a good academic performance (45.8%) and majority of the ones who skipped breakfast (53.3%) had a moderate academic performance (p<0.05). 10.3% and 16.3% of the students having breakfast and skipped breakfast were unsuccessful, respectively. When the amount of the energy and nutrients obtained from breakfast were evaluated; boys were consuming riboflavin and fa t near the RDA, protein and iron above the RDA, energy and the other nutrients below the RDA. Girls consumed protein above the RDA, fa t near the RDA, energy and other nutrients below the RDA. In conclusion, junior students were not having breakfast regülarly. The contribution o f energy and nutrient intake fo r breakfast was below the recommended limits. Academic p e rformance of the ones who have breakfast vvas higher than the ones who skipped breakfast. It is recommended to acquire the habit of having breakfast regülarly from childhood and to promote the consumption of ready-to-eat breakfast cereals and milk or fruit juice that could make a signifıcant contribution to the students' adequate and balanced nutrition