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The “motor of the day”: Parent and school-age children’s cognitions, barriers, and supports for breakfast
Even though eating breakfast regularly has many advantages, few parents and kids regularly eat this meal, and there are few studies on the factors that influence breakfast intake. Using the concepts of social cognitive theory as guidance, Eck et al. (2019) aimed to investigate breakfast-related cognitions (attitudes, beliefs, barriers, facilitators, etc.) in a population of 37 parents and 41 school-age children (ages 6 to 11). Analysis of the results revealed that children listed many advantages of food and understood its significance. Parents voiced worry about the nutritional value of some conventional meal choices and preferred breakfasts high in protein, fruits, and veggies with little to no carbs. For many reasons, breakfast was considered essential by parents. The biggest obstacle to eating breakfast, according to parents, is a shortage of time. Children said that being pressed for time in the morning was the biggest obstacle to eating food. Parents used grab-and-go foods, made brunch in advance, and woke up early to get around this obstacle. Another tactic suggested was making use of the school meal program, but some questioned the nutritional value of this choice. Children recommended having a morning ritual, choosing or preparing breakfast foods in advance, and depending on parents to promote breakfast intake as ways to get around obstacles. The authors conclude that, by addressing adult and kid breakfast-related cognitions and adjusting treatments to meet their requirements, interventions intended to increase breakfast intake may be more successful. [NPID: Children, parents, breakfast, Social Cognitive Theory, focus groups]
Year: 2019
