1. Objectifs

Intentions :
« [The aim of this study was] to analyse the socio-economic factors related to breakfast eating, the association between breakfast eating and overweight, and to gain a more thorough understanding of the relationship between these two elements in a population-based cohort of 4.5-year-old children. » (p. 436)

Question/Hypothèses :
« We hypothesised that a relationship could be observed between breakfast skipping and overweight independently of socioeconomic factors such as ethnicity, maternal education, single parenting and family income. » (p. 436)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
« Subjects were 1549 children between the ages of 44 and 56 months, with a mean age of 49 months. » (p. 436)

Instruments :
« A population-based study whereby standardised nutritional interviews were conducted with each child’s parent. The children’s height and weight were taken by a trained nutritionist and parents were asked about their child’s breakfast eating. » (p. 436)

Types de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

« Almost a tenth (9.8%) of the children did not eat breakfast every day. A greater proportion of children with immigrant mothers (19.4% vs. 8.3% from non-immigrant mothers), with mothers with no high school diploma (17.5% vs. 10% for higher educated mothers) and from low-income families (15% for income of $39 999 or less vs. 5–10% for better income) did not eat breakfast every day. Not eating breakfast every day nearly doubled the odds (odds ratio = 1.9, 95% confidence interval 1.2–3.2) of being overweight at 4.5 years when mother’s immigrant status, household income and number of overweight/obese parents were part of the analysis. […] Although our results require replication before public policy changes can be advocated, encouraging breakfast consumption among pre-school children is probably warranted and targeting families of low socio-economic status could potentially help in the prevention of childhood obesity. » (p. 436)