Relationship between Breakfast Absence Frequency and Intake of Nutritional Supplements in Koreans

Objectives: Although many studies indicate health effect of breakfast, little is known whether taking breakfast regularly has effect on intake of nutritional supplements. Therefore, this study was performed to examine the relationship between breakfast absence frequency and intake of nutritional supplement in Koreans. Methods: The analysis used the data from The Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey (2018). Main independent variable is breakfast frequency and other valid variables are sex, residence, age, education level, economic status, current smoking status, drinking frequency, body mass index, numbers of time to eat out, exercising habits, underlying conditions, subjective health status and job status. Dependent variable is intake of nutritional supplements. Breakfast frequency variable is divided in to four groups, which are none, 1-2 days, 3-4 days, and 5-7 days per week. Intake of nutritional supplements variable is divided in to two group, which are none taking and taking the supplements. Data were analyzed using PASW Statistics 18 and chi-square and multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: Regular breakfast eating group (5-7 days per week) took nutritional supplements 1.563 times more than non eating group (p= 0.002). This study interestingly suggests that breakfast frequency and intake of nutritional supplements had positive correlation. Conclusions: Having breakfast regularly leads to taking nutritional supplements, and will eventually lead to health promotion. Thus, educating proper dietary habit is needed for encouraging to have breakfast regularly.