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Invented market traditions are practices and memories of the past created by corporations and sustained through consumption. Invented market traditions show how organisations have the potential to reorganise collective memories of the past, creating new mnemonic narratives rather than drawing on existing ones. Materiality provides long-term stability to these narratives. This paper focuses on the institution of Italian breakfast, based on milk, coffee, and convenience bakery products such as biscuits, invented by the brand Mulino Bianco. Biscuits exemplify how commodities imbued with nostalgic meanings can mobilise these invented memories and fold them into social practices. The recurring consumption of biscuits at breakfast, which was marketed as a rediscovery of Italian heritage, created those very nostalgic memories that consumers wanted to remember. Invented market traditions show the social repercussions of organisations' rhetorical work and expose how context plays a role in understanding their success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on ethnographic data to explore children's aspirations through education within the context of poverty and vulnerability in Siaya Kenya. Since several children reported eating onge (nothing) for breakfast, they hoped that education would enable them to eat and enjoy a good future. I demonstrate that aspirations as orientations towards desired futures have affective dimensions [Huijsmans, Ansell, and Froerer. 2021. "Introduction: Development, Young People, and the Social Production of Aspirations." The European Journal of Development Research 33: 1–15]. Consequently, in drawing from Deleuze [1988. Spinoza: Practical Philosophy. San Francisco, CA: City Lights] that affect is a capacity to affect and to be affected, I argue that children's aspirations in Siaya are an assemblage of personal, relational and non-human factors of poverty, orphanhood, HIV/AIDS and other forms of marginalisation. This assemblage fuels a desire for alternative futures, and/or modifies their aspirations in complex ways. While children's desired futures might look impossible, their aspirations are also affective becomings [Salazar. 2017. "Speculative Fabulation: Researching Worlds to Come in Antarctica." In Anthropologies and Futures: Researching Emerging and Uncertain Worlds, edited by Juan Salazar, Sarah Pink, Andrew Irving, and Johannes Sjöberg, 158. London: Bloomsbury], and schooling and education are sites for alternative futures, in Siaya's continuing present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have been conducted on the relationship between breakfast consumption and mental health with conflicting results. Therefore, the present systematic review and meta-analysis was undertaken to summarize evidences on the association between skipping breakfast and mental health. We searched online databases for all related papers through the comprehensive international data bases of Institute of PubMed/ MEDLINE, ISI/WOS and Scopus up to December 2019, using relevant keywords. Overall, 14 studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The total sample size of all selected studies was 399,550 individuals with age range of 6 to ≥65 years old. We found a significant positive association between skipping breakfast and Odds Ratio (OR) of depression (pooled OR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.34–1.44), stress (pooled OR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.04–1.43) and psychological distress (pooled OR: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.47–1.62). In contrast, there was no significant association between skipping breakfast and anxiety in all age cohort (pooled OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 0.97–1.65). However, subgroup analysis based on age stratification showed that there was a significant positive association between skipping breakfast and anxiety in adolescences (pooled OR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.25–1.77). In conclusion, skipping breakfast was positively associated with odds of depression, stress and psychological distress in all age groups and anxiety in adolescence, underlining impact of breakfast on mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food insecurity in Australia is on the rise, yet it remains a serious and underappreciated policy issue. The demand for and expansion of food banks, community agencies, and school breakfast programmes in Australia has led to the emergency food relief system being referred to as an "industry" in itself. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the associated financial crisis, have only exacerbated the challenge of putting food onto the table. These unprecedented challenges expose the vulnerabilities of addressing the problem of food insecurity solely through a charity-based approach. Through key case studies of innovative local food governance models across the globe, this paper calls attention to the need to break down the disconnected, siloed, and fragmented policies and responses across public and private spheres in order to design more comprehensive interventions that better address the complex reality of food insecurity in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chrononutrition, or the circadian timing of food intake, has garnered attention as a topic of study due to its associations with health (e.g. weight gain); however, a valid and reliable assessment of chrononutrition in daily life has not yet been developed. This paper details the development and initial reliability and validity testing of the Chrononutrition Profile – Questionnaire (CP-Q). The CP-Q assesses six components of chrononutrition that are likely to influence health (breakfast skipping, largest meal, evening eating, evening latency, night eating, and eating window). This questionnaire is designed to assess general chrononutrition behaviors and preferred timing of food intake. The CP-Q can be used as a sole evaluation of chrononutrition, and can also be utilized in conjunction with existing dietary measures to provide a comprehensive assessment of one's eating behaviors. This measure offers health-care professionals, researchers, and stakeholders a cost-effective and comprehensive method of evaluating chrononutrition and identifying targets for health improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Having breakfast is associated with improved diet quality, cognitive- and academic performance and can therefore positively impact learning and health, although the impact on reading literacy is unknown in the Nordic countries. The aim of this study was to assess the association between having breakfast often versus rarely and reading literacy achievement based on Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) from 2016. The sample consisted of Danish (N = 3508), Finnish (N = 4896), Norwegian (N = 4232) and Swedish (N = 4525) students, 10–11 years old. Students self-reported their frequency of having breakfast. Linear regression analysis (adjusted for socio-economic status and gender) showed that those who often vs. rarely had breakfast achieved a higher reading literacy score. The results suggest that having breakfast may be important for reading literacy achievement even after adjusting for socioeconomic status. This potential relationship between breakfast intake and students' academic achievement should be given priority for further research and practice as breakfast is a modifiable factor that can be both improved and be intervened on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compared the effects of consuming egg-breakfast of superior protein quality to cereal-breakfast of similar energy density and protein quantity, but lower protein quality. Two, two-week randomised crossover clinical trials included 30 otherwise healthy women with overweight or obesity. Subjects received counselling to follow a reduced-calorie diet. Under supervision, participants consumed either breakfast for one-week then crossed over to the opposite breakfast. Experiment-1 outcome variables included post-breakfast appetite hormones, glucose and insulin, subjective markers of satiety and energy intake at lunch and dinner. In Experiment-2, an appealing food (brownies) was included in lunch. Following the breakfasts, Experiment-1 showed no significant differences in outcome variables. In Experiment-2, the egg-breakfast increased fullness (p = 0.038), but lunch-time energy intake was not different. If these findings apply to other breakfasts, it suggests that in comparing two breakfasts with similar protein quantity, the greater protein quality of a breakfast may not be adequate to induce satiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our current food system is failing to deliver on equitable health outcomes, wellbeing and food security and the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand has high inequities and one the highest levels of childhood obesity nationally. This articlereports baseline quantitative data from 2087 students (aged 9 or 13) from 41 primary and secondary schools, including schools participating in the Ka Ora, Ka Ako Healthy School Lunch programme. Students answered an online survey covering food security, general wellbeing (WHO-5), eating behaviours and physical activity and were measured/weighed for body size. 16.8% of students experienced food insufficiency in the home and 31.3% of 13-yr-olds did not eat breakfast. Overall, only 12.9% met the national vegetable intake guidelines and 39.6% met fruit intake guidelines. Students in high advantage schools (decile 8–10) were twice as likely to meet the vegetable intake guidelines. 47.1% of 13-year old girls were at risk of reduced wellbeing. 54.6% of students had a healthy weight and 44.5% experienced overweight or obesity; in low advantage (decile 1–3) schools 64.4% experienced overweight or obesity. The data form a baseline for an evaluation of multiple public health initiatives underway in Hawke's Bay to improve food environments and nutritional wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black immigrant women experience high risks for maternal complications, and some of these complications are related to dietary outcomes. This study aimed to explore Sub-Saharan African (SSA) pregnant women's dietary patterns and dietary transition post-immigration and during pregnancy. We used a narrative design with a Photovoice approach and collected data through semi-structured interviews, digital food diaries, and Photovoice interviews. We recruited eleven participants (n = 11) through community gatekeepers and analyzed data using a constructivist grounded theory approach with constant comparative methods. The changes in food processes and participants' reactions to these changes generated a dietary transition model with three stages: perplexity, deliberation, and acceptance. (1) Perplexity was caused by different food characteristics such as taste, texture, and options. (2) Participants described deliberation as a process of deciding the kind of foods/cooking styles that would be an integral part of their regular diet. All participants opted for what they referred to as the 'African diet.' (3) Acceptance was characterized by participants' resolve to figure out how to make their chosen types of food and eating habits 'work' for themselves and their families. This study emphasizes the importance of having a sense of self-efficacy, a positive attitude, and community support in enabling migrant women to navigate dietary transition until they are satisfied with newly constructed eating habits. This determination, along with community support and persistent connection to their home culture, might help immigrants resist dietary acculturation and maintain healthy cultural eating habits, which is particularly important during pregnancy, given the impact of diet on maternal and neonatal outcomes. These findings underscore the need for collaborating with migrants from SSA to develop culturally tailored dietary interventions focused on each stage of dietary transition. Future studies should include focus group discussions to leverage women's shared experiences and create knowledge/information exchange opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic low-grade inflammation is an underlying risk factor for numerous chronic diseases, including cancer. Eating earlier in the day has been associated with a reduction in levels of inflammatory markers and inflammation-related health outcomes (e.g., obesity, metabolic disorders). This cross-sectional study of 249 obese African-American women examined the effect of various mealtime-related factors associated with macronutrient consumption in relation to chronic inflammation and Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RAD) readings. During 2011 and 2013, a single 24-hour dietary recall was administered, blood samples were assayed for c-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and BI-RAD ratings were assessed to determine the influence of mealtime on chronic inflammation and breast cancer risk score. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were used to assess these relationships. Higher carbohydrate consumption at breakfast was associated with a significantly lower CRP vs. higher carbohydrate consumption at dinner (6.99, vs. 9.56 mg/L, respectively, p =.03). Additionally, every 1-unit increase in percent energy consumed after 5PM resulted in a BI-RAD reading indicating a possibly suspicious abnormality (OR: 1.053, 95% CI: 1.003–1.105), suggesting an increase in breast cancer risk. Timing of energy and macronutrient intake may have important implications for reducing the risk of diseases associated with chronic inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-sugar consumption is related to dyslipidemia. How acute exercise affects postprandial lipid and lipoprotein particle responses to a high-sugar meal (HSM) in postmenopausal women is unclear. We examined the effects of a late afternoon/early evening bout of aerobic exercise on postprandial lipid and lipoprotein particle responses to a HSM breakfast the following day in 22 postmenopausal women. Subjects underwent exercise (EX) and no exercise (NE) conditions in the evening 13–16 h before the HSM breakfast consumption, in a random order. During the EX condition, subjects performed supervised aerobic exercise for 60 min at 75% of age-predicted maximum heart rate. The HSM (75.6% carbohydrate and 33% energy needs) was consumed after a 12-h fast. Serum lipids and lipoproteins were assessed at baseline and postprandially (60, 120, 180 min). Repeated measures analysis showed significantly lower area under the curve (geometric means [95% CI]) for triglycerides (TG) (2.96[2.43, 3.61] vs. 3.24[2.70, 3.88] mmol/L*hr; p = 0.049) and very low density lipoprotein particles (VLDLP) (114.6[88.2, 148.9] vs. 134.3[108.1, 166.9] nmol/L*hr; p = 0.02) during the EX versus NE condition. There were no condition effects for other variables. In conclusion, the EX versus NE condition lowered postprandial AUC for TG and VLDLP following HSM consumption in postmenopausal women. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02919488 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breakfast habits affect the nutritional status and health of people, in particular children and adolescents. This is the second part a previous study about the adherence to the Mediterranean diet in a Sicilian (Italy) student population. The investigation analysed both normal weight and overweight subjects in order to understand how eating habits, number of meals and daily calorie intakes could affect their body mass indexes (BMI). The aim of this second part was to analyse the breakfast nutritional profiles of this student population. The results highlighted that breakfast was regularly consumed by a percentage ranging from a maximum of 84% (in normal subjects) to a minimum value of 57.4% (in overweight/obese students). Milk, yoghurt, sugar, bread/rusk and tea contributed as main foods to the breakfast composition. The results highlighted that subjects who consumed breakfast showed lower BMI values with significant differences between normal and overweight/obese students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The School Breakfast Program (SBP) can strengthen household food security, yet participation remains low. Stakeholder perspectives may influence SBP participation; thus, the purpose of this study was to explore school administrators' perspectives on the SBP. Administrators from (blinded state) were recruited via email and were asked to complete an online survey about the SBP. Results indicated that almost one-third of administrators (n = 56) perceived low statewide participation was due to family-centered values. Administrators reported academic performance (n = 100; 23.8%) and hunger abatement (n = 97; 23.1%) as benefits of the SBP. Administrators indicated they did not feel the need to improve SBP rates and were not favorable to alternative breakfast models (n = 38; 30.6%). While many administrators see benefits to the SBP, many administrators throughout the state of blinded state do not see the need for increased participation or the benefits of alternative models. Continual efforts to improve administrators' perspectives of SBP and particularly, alternative school breakfast models as a way of decreasing childhood food insecurity are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify dietary patterns (DPs) in European adolescents and to examine the association between perceptions of healthy eating and the obtained DPs.Method: A multinational cross-sectional study was carried out in adolescents aged 12.5 to 17.5 years and 2,027 (44.9% males) were considered for analysis. A self-reported questionnaire with information on food choices and preferences, including perceptions of healthy eating, and two 24-hour dietary recalls were used. Principal component analysis was used to obtain sex-specific DPs, and linear analyses of covariance were used to compare DPs according to perceptions of healthy eating.Results: Three and four DPs for boys and girls were obtained. In boys and girls, there were significant associations between some perceptions about healthy food and the Breakfast-DP (p < 0.05). In boys, Breakfast-DP and Healthy Beverage-DP were associated with the perception of the own diet as healthy (p < 0.05). Healthy Beverage-DP was associated with those disliking fruits and vegetables (p < 0.05). Girls considering the own diet as healthy were associated with Mediterranean-DP, Breakfast-DP, and Unhealthy Beverage and Meat-DP (p < 0.05). The perception of snacking as a necessary part of a healthy diet was associated with Breakfast-DP in both genders (p < 0.05).Conclusions: In European adolescents, perceptions of healthy eating were mainly associated with a DP characterized by foods consumed at breakfast. Future studies should further explore these findings in order to implement health promotion programs to improve healthy eating habits in adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the OECD ranking, Switzerland has one of the most expensive healthcare systems in the world. In addition to other reasons, Switzerland introduced the remuneration system Swiss DRG four years ago in order to have an economically affordable healthcare system. Within this new remuneration system, transparency as well as efficiency and effectiveness are important principles. As the facility management is responsible for a third of the hospital costs and supports the core business, it has an important role in underpinning these principles. Currently, new ways of patient catering are being developed and tested. This research sets out to learn about the effects thereof. In order to do so, a mixed-method case study was carried out in three selected Swiss hospitals. The study has revealed that patient catering under new paradigms in order to become more efficient and closer to the needs of the patients is a challenge. The recently developed breakfast trolley can support Facility Managers in hospitals to face these challenges. As a result, different impacts on patients' breakfast between the classical way of patient catering and the new approach with the breakfast trolley could be identified. In addition, a closer look is taken on staff attitude towards this new way of patient catering. These findings provide facility managers in the healthcare sector with additional argumentation to meet the current challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: New Caledonia is a multi-ethnic French territory in the Pacific, characterized by communities with widely varying nutritional habits. Little is currently known about adolescent food behaviors and habits and their association with overweight. This study therefore determined the sociodemographic factors and food behaviors associated with overweight and underweight in this population, as well as the factors associated with skipping breakfast. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among New Caledonian adolescents using a self-administered questionnaire; anthropometric measurements were also taken. Weight status was determined using international cutoffs, and the factors associated with overweight and underweight were identified with multiple logistic regression analysis. The factors associated with breakfast skipping were also determined. Results: Skipping breakfast, being Melanesian, living in a rural area and having low economic status were positively associated with overweight in these adolescents. Skipping breakfast was relatively infrequent, reported by 18% and 13% of the males and females, respectively. Logistic regression models found that the main factors associated with breakfast consumption habits were gender, weight status and ethnicity. Conclusions: Several factors are associated with overweight status in New Caledonian adolescents. Breakfast education should be improved for adolescents living in rural areas and from low socioeconomic status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prolonged sitting induces adverse metabolic changes. We aimed to determine whether breaking up prolonged sedentary time with short periods of repeated sit-to-stand transitions ("chair squats") every 20 minutes influences postprandial metabolic responses. Fourteen participants (11 men, 3 women), age 37 ± 16 years, BMI 30.5 ± 3.8 kg.m−2 (mean ± SD) each participated in two experimental trials in random order, in which they arrived fasted, then consumed a test breakfast (8 kcal.kg−1 body weight, 37% energy from fat, 49% carbohydrates, 14% protein) and, 3.5 hours later, an identical test lunch. Expired air and blood samples were taken fasted and for 6.5 hours postprandially. In one trial (SIT) participants sat continuously throughout the observation period; in the "Chair squat" trial (SIT/STAND), participants performed "chair squats" (10 × standing and sitting over 30 seconds, every 20 minutes). Compared to SIT, energy expenditure was 409.7 ± 41.6 kJ (16.6 ± 1.7%) higher in SIT/STAND (p < 0.0001). Postprandial insulin concentrations over the post-breakfast period were 10.9 ± 8.4% lower in SIT/STAND than SIT (p = 0.047), but did not differ between trials in the post-lunch period. Glucose and triglyceride concentrations did not differ significantly between trials. These data demonstrate that a simple, unobtrusive intervention to break up sedentary time can induce some favourable metabolic changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breakfast foods with lower glycaemic responses are associated with better body weight control. Glycaemic index (GI) values of some commonly consumed breakfast foods in Italy were determined and compared, along with macronutrients. Cakes/pastries were low-medium GI (44-60), with high-sugar and saturated fat and low-fibre. Generally, mueslis and breads were medium GI (62-66 and 59-76, respectively) with higher fibre and lower saturated fat and sugar. The addition of spreads to bread lowered GI (47-66) but increased sugar and saturated fat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computerized cognitive assessment is becoming increasingly more common in clinical neuropsychological assessment and cognitive neuropsychological research. A number of computerized tasks now exist to assess multitasking abilities that are essential for everyday tasks such as cooking, shopping, or driving, but little is known about whether these tasks are appropriate for assessing older adults’ multitasking. The present study directly compared age effects on multitasking when assessed using a computerized and a prop-based version of Craik and Bialystok’s (2006) Breakfast task. Twenty participants aged 18 to 24 years and 20 participants aged 60 to 79 years were assessed on both versions of the Breakfast task. While age-related decrements in multitasking performance were found using the computerized task, significant age differences were not found on the majority of measures when the prop-based version was administered. The results suggest that age-related deficits in multitasking will be less when more contextualized, noncomputer based tasks are used. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background:Eating habits play a crucial role in weight control management; however, little research has examined whether frequency of breakfast consumption influences body mass index (BMI) in middle childhood.Purpose:The purpose of this study was to (a) determine the relationship between BMI and the frequency of breakfast consumption, (b) examine gender differences in the frequency of eating breakfast and starting time of breakfast after waking up, and (c) explore breakfast composition.Methods:The research group consisted of 298 children aged 9–10 years (164 boys and 134 girls). Frequency of breakfast consumption, starting time of breakfast after waking up, and breakfast composition were determined by questionnaire.Results:A statistically significant difference in the regularity of breakfast consumption was found between children of the underweight, healthy weight, and overweight/obese groups (P < .001). There was no statistical gender effect for the frequency and timing of the breakfast (P>.05).Discussion:Our data indicate that regular consumption of breakfast is related to BMI values in children aged 9–10 years independent of gender.Translation to Health Education Practice:Our finding confirmed the importance of breakfast consumption and a healthy eating pattern in middle childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The research is a descriptive profile of owners in the United States who are primarily 50 years and older. Since entrepreneurship is often sought later in life as a bridge to retirement (Kerr & Armstrong-Stassen, 2011), this research profiled the American bed and breakfast entrepreneur who is using this self-employed venture before transitioning into retirement. Considerations of cognitive age, health, and supportive partner will be discussed. For those pursuing bed and breakfasts as a future entrepreneurial venture, this study found important aspects to the operation of the business. Four factors are provided for older Americans considering operating a bed and breakfast including: feeling young and capable, bridge to retirement, supportive partner, and importance of timeline of entrepreneurial process. Future studies will benefit from understanding this exploratory profile of the niche market of bed and breakfast entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry, including human resource practices and decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of literature has shown that environmental exposures in the period around conception can affect the sex ratio at birth through selective attrition that favors the survival of female conceptuses. Glucose availability is considered a key indicator of the fetal environment, and its absence as a result of meal skipping may inhibit male survival. We hypothesize that breakfast skipping during pregnancy may lead to a reduction in the fraction of male births. Using time use data from the United States we show that women with commute times of 90 minutes or longer are 20 percentage points more likely to skip breakfast. Using U.S. census data we show that women with commute times of 90 minutes or longer are 1.2 percentage points less likely to have a male child under the age of 2. Under some assumptions, this implies that routinely skipping breakfast around the time of conception leads to a 6 percentage point reduction in the probability of a male child. Skipping breakfast during pregnancy may therefore constitute a poor environment for fetal health more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) of 1740 Italian 8-9-year-olds was evaluated using the KIDMED index and a descriptive analysis of it by socio-demographic and lifestyle factors was performed. Only 5.0% of the children resulted 'high' adherers of MD (62.2% 'average' and 32.8% 'poor'). This scarce adherence was due to a low consumption of fruit, vegetables, legumes, dairy products and a high intake of commercially baked goods for breakfast and sweets. Hindrances to fruit, vegetables and pulses consumption were reported for one-third of the sample. The adherence rates did not differ significantly with BMI and gender. Adherence improved with: having lunch at school; liking lunch at school; breakfast with family; no free access to food; availability of fruit and pulses; liking vegetables; higher maternal education; lower child screen time; population size of place of residence. The results show it is important to improve family food habits and dietary knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Breakfast skipping is associated with obesity and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Later chronotypes, individuals who have a preference for later bed and wake times, often skip breakfast. The aim of the study was to explore the relationships among breakfast skipping, chronotype, and glycemic control in type 2 diabetes patients. We collected sleep timing and 24-h dietary recall from 194 non-shift-working type 2 diabetes patients who were being followed in outpatient clinics. Mid-sleep time on free days (MSF) was used as an indicator of chronotype. Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) values were obtained from medical records. Hierarchical linear regression analyses controlling for demographic, sleep, and dietary variables were computed to determine whether breakfast skipping was associated with HbA1C. Additional regression analyses were performed to test if this association was mediated by chronotype. There were 22 participants (11.3%) who self-reported missing breakfast. Breakfast skippers had significantly higher HbA1C levels, higher body mass indices (BMI), and later MSF than breakfast eaters. Breakfast skipping was significantly associated with higher HbA1C values ( B = 0.108, p = 0.01), even after adjusting for age, sex, race, BMI, number of diabetes complications, insulin use, depressive symptoms, perceived sleep debt, and percentage of daily caloric intake at dinner. The relationship between breakfast skipping and HbA1C was partially mediated by chronotype. In summary, breakfast skipping is associated with a later chronotype. Later chronotype and breakfast skipping both contribute to poorer glycemic control, as indicated by higher HbA1C levels. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings and determine whether behavioral interventions targeting breakfast eating or sleep timing may improve glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The timing of meals has been suggested to play an important role in circadian regulation and metabolic health. Three meals a day is a well-established human feeding habit, which in today's lifestyle may or may not be followed. The aim of this study was to test whether the absence of breakfast or supper significantly affects the circadian system and physiological function. The authors developed a rat model for their daily three meals study, whereby animals were divided into three groups (three meals, TM; no first meal, NF; no last meal, NL) all fed with the same amount of food every day. Rats in the NF group displayed significantly decreased levels of plasma triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and glucose in the activity phase, accompanied by delayed circadian phases of hepatic peripheral clock and downstream metabolic genes. Rats in the NL group showed lower concentration of plasma TC, HDL-C, and glucose in the rest phase, plus reduced adipose tissue accumulation and body weight gain. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis indicated an attenuated rhythm in the food-entraining pathway, including down-regulated expression of the clock genes Per2, Bmal1, and Rev-erbα, which may further contribute to the delayed and decreased expression of FAS in lipogenesis in this group. Our findings are consistent with the conclusion that the daily first meal determines the circadian phasing of peripheral clocks, such as in the liver, whereas the daily last meal tightly couples to lipid metabolism and adipose tissue accumulation, which suggests differential physiological effects and function of the respective meal timings. (Author correspondence: ) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This current pilot trial assessed the feasibility of implementing a point-of-use (PoU) micronutrient fortification in preschool settings. Preschool children ( n = 151) aged 36-79 months were randomized into intervention ( n = 76) and control ( n = 75) groups, both receiving breakfast maize-porridge with added micronutrient or placebo powder for 52 school days. Process evaluation and early childhood development indicators were used to assess trial feasibility. Process evaluation results showed that the implementation components were feasible and could be delivered with high fidelity. The improvement in hemoglobin concentration in intervention and control groups were not significantly different ( P = 0.250). There was medium likelihood for practical significance for the two global cognitive scores assessed: non-verbal index (intervention effects: 7.20; 95% confidence interval: 2.60, 11.81; P = 0.002, effect size: 0.55) and mental processing index (intervention effects: 2.73; 95% confidence interval: 0.25, 5.70; P = 0.072, effect size: 0.36) on the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition. The lessons from this trial could help in planning/implementing future PoU micronutrient fortification trial among South African preschool children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breakfast represents a healthy habit and associations with positive health outcomes have been widely described. Breakfast should be consistent with local and family dietary traditions. The proportion of breakfast skippers in the pediatric and adolescent diet range 10-30% throughout the world. Policies and interventions supportive of breakfast consumption are therefore encouraged. According to neurobehavioral data, the good example of parents and access to a variety of palatable and pleasant breakfast foods should drive children to become able to self-select breakfast models with balanced composition, while respecting recommended dietary allowances. A balanced macronutrient composition, the proposition of a variety of models leading to a total energy density preferably within lower ranges (< 1-1.5), as well as glycemic indices in the lower range for the same food class, could emphasize the positive short- and long- term health outcomes now attributable to breakfast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lifestyle plays an important role in the development of obesity during childhood and adolescence. We provide up-to-date information about the relationship between obesity and food intake and dietary patterns in adolescents. Scientific evidence is increasing about the dietary factors associated with this relationship, specifically a low meal frequency, skipping breakfast, and a high consumption of sugar sweetened beverages. Maybe some of the reviewed dietary factors could cluster in the same population of adolescents, increasing the individual risk. There is little information about dietary patterns and current time trends in adolescents; however, the available data seem to show that the tendency in the adolescent population worldwide is to increase those dietary factors related with obesity development. Public health efforts should be emphasized in order to decrease the current tendency. Regular family meals could serve as role models for healthy eating behaviors. Educational intervention programs for parents, aiming to modify the healthfulness of the diet, seems to be one of the most adequate tools to deal with the worldwide obesity epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skipping breakfast is common among children and adolescents. However, there is uncertainty regarding whether breakfast consumption contributes to or protects against overweight or obesity. We aimed to review the evidence on the effects of breakfast consumption on body weight outcomes in children and adolescents in Europe. The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, and EMBASE were searched in January 2009. We identified 16 studies. All were cross-sectional or cohort trials involving more than 59,000 children/adolescents from Europe. Thirteen studies (n = 57,481) consistently showed that breakfast has a protective effect against becoming overweight or obese. One trial (n = 886) showed that this effect was significant only for boys. The effect of eating breakfast on the body mass index (BMI) was analyzed in 4 studies (n = 2897). All of these studies showed an increase in BMI in breakfast skippers. In one study (n = 1245), this effect was significant only for boys. The results of this analysis suggest that eating breakfast is associated with a reduced risk of becoming overweight or obese and a reduction in the BMI in children and adolescents in Europe. However, almost all of the data in this review were gathered from observational studies, thus, causality should not be assumed based on these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study we conducted a questionnaire survey to examine the relationship between dietary habits and menstrual disorders in young women. Subjects were recruited from 315 college students and were classified as: Group I, eating breakfast; Group II, skipping breakfast; Group III, not eating fast foods; Group IV, eating fast foods; Group V, not eating processed foods; and Group VI, eating processed foods. The intensity of dysmenorrhea was scored using three grades. All participants were further divided into groups based on having regular or irregular menstruation, having premenstrual symptoms or not, and self-perception of good or poor general health. General health was poor in Groups II and VI, and dysmenorrhea scores were high in Groups II, IV and VI. The incidence of irregular menses was also high in Group II. However, there was no apparent relation between premenstrual symptoms and dietary habits. These findings suggest that skipping breakfast adversely affects menstrual disorders in young college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects (N = 18) experiment compared the sensitivity to change of cognitive performance and mood measures of mental energy following consumption of either 100 or 200-mg caffeine or a 440-calorie breakfast. Breakfast and 200-mg caffeine improved mood and cognitive performance. The sensitivity to change of the measures did not differ in response to any treatment (all p values > .05). The mood and cognitive measures of mental energy used here have similar sensitivity to detecting change in response to a moderate dose of caffeine and breakfast consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to describe the nutrients provided to Australian children and adolescents by the breakfast meal and compare the food and nutrient intakes and health of regular breakfast eaters (those who ate breakfast 5 days or more a week) and skippers (who are breakfast rarely or never). The Australian Bureau of Statistics was commissioned to undertake additional analysis of data collected in the 1995 Australian National Nutrition Survey. The survey included 24-h recalls, physical measurements and a food-habits questionnaire collected during the period February 1995-March 1996, with a nationally representative sample of 3,007 Australians aged between 2 and 18 years. The median nutrient intakes at breakfast and the proportion of the daily total contributed by breakfast were calculated. Differences between regular breakfast eaters and breakfast skippers in terms of nutrient intake, body mass index and health status were compared using student t-tests. The findings show the typical breakfast consumed by young Australians was low in fat, high in carbohydrate and a good source of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, calcium and magnesium. Those who did not eat breakfast cereal were much more likely to have inadequate nutrient intakes, especially of thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, magnesium and iron. There was no difference between the fat intake and the body mass index of regular breakfast eaters compared with breakfast skippers. Regular breakfast consumption is associated with better diets for children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Besides genetic and environmental factors, the breakfast meal and the frequency in which it is eaten may influence appetite control, dietary intake and composition, and chronic disease risk. Breakfast skipping may lead to up-regulation of appetite, possibly leading to weight gain over time and deleterious changes in risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Breakfast skipping has also been linked to poorer overall diet quality. Regular breakfast consumption, on the other hand, may reduce the risk of chronic diseases due to the potential impact on the composition of the overall diet, and is also associated with improved learning abilities and better school performance in children. Considering the trend to skip, or to have nutritionally inadequate breakfast, suggestions to promote and support breakfast in children and adolescents will be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]