Abstract:
Objectives To assess time of intake of breakfast
and choice of food consumed by school children,
identify underlying reasons for prevailing breakfast
practices and describe the knowledge and attitude
of mothers about the nutritional needs of their
children in relation to breakfast .
Study design A descriptive cross sectional study
using an interviewer administered questionnaire.
Study setting A medical ward at Lady Ridgeway
Hospital for Children, Colombo
Study population Children aged 4-12 years,
admitted to the professorial ward with an acute
illness of less than three days duration between 1st
December 2006 and 28th February 2007. Exclusion
criteria were severe or chronic illness, food allergy,
dietary restrictions, special diet schedules, growth
abnormality/ties or developmental delay.
Method A modified food frequency questionnaire
was used to gather data on demographic and
dietary details. Consumption patterns of five
commonly eaten food groups were investigated
based on dietary recall. Portion sizes and nutritive
values were not assessed.
Results Of a total of 220 children, 96% were
school-going. Majority (81%) were resident in the
Western province and were represented by
Sinhalese (79.5%), Tamils (10.5%) and Muslims
(10%). All mothers were literate and 60% had
studied up to or above GCE (O Levels). In 80%
monthly family income was above Rs. 8000.
Population studied comprised mostly of primary
school children. Male to female ratio was 1:1.08
and no significant differences in breakfast practices
or nutritional status were found between sexes.
