A Study of the Nutritional Intake and Health Condition of Female College Students as Related to Their Frequency of Eating Breakfast

Yu, Hyeon Hee; Nam, Jung Eun; Kim, In Sook

Abstract

The present study investigated the nutritional intake and health condition of 389 female college students living in Iksan, Jeonbuk, dependent on their frequency of breakfast. The subjects were evenly distributed in terms of their age, 61.7% were living at home with their parents, and most responded that they were from a middle income level. Of the subjects, 43.2% always had breakfast (more than 5 times a week); 26.5% sometimes (3 to 4 times a week); 30.3% seldom had breakfast (less than twice a week). The most frequent reason why they skipped breakfast was they were late risers (53%); 38.7% started to skip breakfast during their high school days. The nutritional intake based on whether or not they had breakfast showed that the intake of all nutrients including energy was higher in the students who always or sometimes had breakfast than in those who seldom did (p < 0.05 - 0.001). The presence of clinical symptoms was dependent upon their intake of breakfast. It showed that the students who seldom ate breakfast, had more symptoms of convulsions, nervousness, neck or shoulder pain and indigestion, than those who always, or sometimes ate it (p < 0.05 - 0.01). In all three groups, the largest number of students exercised once or twice a week. Their major reason for exercising was to lose weight. The degree of obesity based on the Body Mass Index (BMI) was in the normal range for 69.7% of the subjects. Female college students ate breakfast irregularly seemed to have a lower intake of nutrients and poorer health. In this regard, we should recognize the importance of eating breakfast, and should make a habit of doing so.