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Associations of breakfast habits and breakfast quality with depression symptoms: A cross-sectional study based on NHANES 2007–2018
Breakfast, often considered the most crucial meal of the day, plays a role in physical and mental well-being. While many studies have examined how skipping breakfast influences depression, fewer have focused on the impact of breakfast quality and timing. This study by Sun & Wu (2025) aimed to explore how breakfast habits and quality relate to symptoms of depression. This study used data from 23,839 participants aged 20 and older from the 2007-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Breakfast habits were assessed using two 24-hour dietary recalls, documenting whether and when breakfast was consumed. The Breakfast Quality Score (BQS) was used to determine breakfast quality, while depression symptoms were diagnosed through the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Participants who reported eating breakfast, based on one or both dietary recalls, had lower odds of depression symptoms compared to those who skipped breakfast. Regarding breakfast quality, those in the highest BQS subgroup (T3) had significantly lower odds of depression symptoms than those in the lowest subgroup (T1), with a trend toward improvement. Regarding breakfast timing, participants who ate breakfast after 9:00 AM had higher odds of depression symptoms compared to those who ate before 8:00 AM. Skipping breakfast, poor breakfast quality, and eating breakfast late are independently linked to higher odds of depression symptoms. [NPID: Breakfast habits, breakfast quality, breakfast time, depression]
Year: 2025
