Realização do desjejum entre adolescentes e sua relação com o consumo alimentar

Abstract

Adolescence is the transition period between childhood and adult life. At this stage, the adoption of inadequate eating patterns, including the omission of breakfast, which may result in current and future health risks, is frequent. This study aims to evaluate the performance of breakfast in a representative sample of Brazilian adolescents evaluated in the National Survey of School Health (PeNSE 2015) and factors associated with this practice. Socio - demographic and food consumption data were analyzed (healthy food markers - MAS, and not healthy - MANS).Data analysis was performed, with frequencies and 95% confidence intervals presented. The associations were verified by the Chi-square test, with Bonferroni correction.It was considered regular consumption, ingestion in 5 days or more per week, while consumption in 4 days or less was considered irregular. Regular meals were reported by 64.4% of the students, and more than one-fifth reported having a meal rarely (20.6%). Higher prevalence of regular breakfast consumption was observed among male adolescents (p <0.001) and among adolescents with ≤13 years of age (p <0.001); among those who reported that their mothers did not study (p <0.001); and that do not reside in the capitals of the states (p <0.001).In general, adolescents who reported having a regular breakfast presented a higher prevalence of regular consumption of food, MAS (67.8% vs. 59.1% among those who did not regularly eat breakfast - p <0.001). vegetables (69.1% vs. 61.5% - p <0.001) and fruits (70.8% vs. 61.3% - p <0.001) and lower consumption of MANS foods (p <0.001), as (60.9% vs. 66.8% - p <0.001), soft drinks (60.9% vs. 64.9% among those who did not regularly eat breakfast - p <0.001), % vs. 65.9% - p <0.001), ultraprocessed foods (61.7% vs. 65.6% - p <0.001) and fast food (62.3% vs. 64.5% - p <0.001). Considering these results, broad strategies of food and nutritional education for adolescents should reinforce that the omission of breakfast can cause health damage, identifying ways to overcome the obstacles of not eating breakfast daily. In addition, actions should address healthy food choices in this meal and throughout the day, avoiding excessive consumption of foods rich in fat, sugar and sodium.