Breakfast is a vital meal that provides children with important nutrients and energy. This study examined the anthropometric, familial- and lifestyle-related characteristics of school children skipping breakfast. A total of 1149 children (boys: 45.5%), 6 to 12 years old (mean and SD: 9.3 ± 1.7 years), were randomly selected from elementary schools in Jeddah. Weight and height were measured. Breakfast eating frequency, socio-demographics, and lifestyle behaviors were assessed using a specifically designed self-report questionnaire reported by the parents. Nearly 80% of the children skipped daily breakfast at home with no significant age or gender differences. The most common reasons for skipping breakfast at home included not feeling hungry and waking up late for school. Fried egg sandwiches and breakfast cereals were most frequently consumed for breakfast. Strong parental support for breakfast as the main daily meal was significantly associated with daily breakfast intake. Logistic regression analyses, adjusted for age, gender, and socio-demographics, revealed that paternal education (aOR = 1.212, 95% CI = 1.020-1.440, p = 0.029), maternal education (aOR = 1.212, 95% CI = 1.003-1.464, p=0.046), insufficient sleep (aOR = 0.735, 95% CI = 0.567-0.951, p = 0.019), and BMI <25 kg/m2 (aOR = 1.333, 95% CI = 1.015-1.752, p = 0.039) were significantly associated with breakfast intake. The findings have implications for children's health and school performance. Concerted effort is required to promote breakfast consumption among Saudi children.
Keywords: breakfast intake; children; lifestyle behaviors; obesity; sociodemographic factors.