Navigation
Why do adolescents skip breakfast? A study on the Mediterranean diet and risk factors
Teenagers are increasingly skipping breakfast, a habit linked to poor academic and health outcomes. While the global average for skipping breakfast among teens is about 16%, rates can vary widely, ranging from 1.3% to 74.7%. This study by Romero-Blanco et al. (2025) aimed to determine the frequency of breakfast consumption among Spanish adolescents and to identify the factors contributing to skipping breakfast. A total of 547 third-year secondary students (aged 14-15) from urban and rural areas in Castilla-La Mancha participated in a cross-sectional survey. Students completed self-reported questionnaires covering demographics, lifestyle habits, and diet quality, including adherence to the Mediterranean diet (measured by the Kidmed score) and weekday breakfast consumption. Results indicated that 33.46% of participants skipped breakfast at least one day, with girls more likely to skip than boys (43.27% vs. 24.42%). Daily skipping was also higher among girls (14.18%) compared to boys (6.87%). Across both genders, breakfast skipping was significantly linked to lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet, increased screen time, shorter sleep, and higher rates of overweight or obesity. Among girls, low intake of olive oil and poor dietary quality were major predictors. Among boys, being overweight, poor Mediterranean diet adherence, and not consuming industrial pastries were significant factors. The findings highlight that breakfast skipping is common—especially among girls—and often coexists with unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. These results support the need for gender-specific strategies to encourage regular breakfast habits and promote healthier diets among adolescents. [NPID: Skipping, breakfast, adolescent, diet, Mediterranean, overweight, obesity]
Year: 2025
