Breakfast Omission and Energy Balance in Girls
Condition: Adolescent Obesity; Insulin Resistance; Adolescent Behavior
MeSH terms: Insulin Resistance; Pediatric Obesity
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      There is a distinct lack of experimental evidence on whether breakfast consumption and
      omission affect energy balance-related variables. This research is of particular relevance to
      adolescent girls due to concerns of low rates of breakfast consumption and physical activity
      in this population. This study aims to compare the effect of seven consecutive days of
      breakfast omission with standardised breakfast consumption on free-living physical activity
      energy expenditure, energy intake and perceived appetite and energy levels in adolescent
      girls.
    

Detailed description: 
      Observational reports showing infrequent breakfast consumption to be associated with
      increased adiposity and cardiometabolic disease risk in children and adolescents have fuelled
      concerns over the low prevalence of habitual breakfast consumption among adolescents. Yet,
      only experimental study designs can determine the causal effects of breakfast consumption on
      health-related variables and such research has typically targeted adults. Adolescent girls
      may respond differently to manipulations in breakfast consumption than adults because they
      have distinct hormonal, metabolic and behavioural profiles. Further, a link between breakfast
      and physical activity in adolescent girls has particular public health relevance because the
      adolescent decline in both breakfast consumption frequency and physical activity is more
      pronounced in girls than in boys. Thus, the primary aim of the current study is to use a
      randomised, cross-over design to compare the effect of seven consecutive days of breakfast
      omission with standardised breakfast consumption on free-living PAEE in adolescent girls. The
      secondary aims are to examine the effects on energy intake, perceived appetite and energy
      levels.

      Using a randomized crossover design, girls aged 11-14 years will complete two, 7-day
      conditions. A standardized breakfast will consumed every day before 09:00 in the daily
      breakfast consumption condition. No energy-providing nutrients will consumed (i.e., only
      water) before 10:30 in the breakfast omission condition. Combined heart rate-accelerometry
      will be used to estimate physical activity energy expenditure and digital photography
      complemented with written food diaries will be used to assess energy intake during each
      condition; these data will be separated into three time segments: wake to 10:30, 10:30 to
      15:30 and 15:30 to bed. Visual analogue scales will be used to assess perceptions of hunger,
      fullness, tiredness and energy levels on waking and at 09:00 and 10:30. Statistical analyses
      will be completed using condition by time of day linear mixed models.
    

Intervention name(s): Breakfast consumption; Breakfast omission
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Intervention description(s): Standardised breakfast consumption across seven days; No breakfast consumed across seven days
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: Breakfast; Physical activity; Nutrition; Appetite; Sedentary