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:10.1186/s40795-022-00545-4

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

BMC Nutr. 2022 Jun 1;8(1):51. doi: 10.1186/s40795-022-00545-4.

Authors

Lulu Abebe¹, Nebiyu Mengistu², Tinsae Shemelise Tesfaye³, Robel Hussen Kabthymer³, Wondwosen Molla⁴, Desalegn Tarekegn⁴, Aregahegn Wudneh⁴, Misrak Negash Shonor¹, Solomon Yimer¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Health Science, Dilla University, Dilla, Ethiopia.
² Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Health Science, Dilla University, Dilla, Ethiopia. nebiyumen@gmail.com.
³ School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Dilla University, Dilla, Ethiopia.
⁴ Department of Midwifery, College of Medicine and Health Science, Dilla University, Dilla, Ethiopia.

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: Breakfast skipping; Children; Ethiopia; Sub-Saharan.