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Breakfast Omission and Energy Balance in Girls

Effect of Daily Breakfast Omission Versus Breakfast Consumption on Physical Activity Energy Expenditure and Energy Intake in Adolescent Girls Who Habitually Skip Breakfast: a 7-day Crossover Trial

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04481776
Enrollment
39
Registered
2020-07-22
Start date
2018-01-15
Completion date
2019-03-15
Last updated
2020-07-24

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Adolescent Behavior, Adolescent Obesity, Insulin Resistance

Keywords

Breakfast, Physical activity, Nutrition, Appetite, Sedentary

Brief 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.

Interventions

Standardised breakfast consumption across seven days

No breakfast consumed across seven days

Sponsors

University of Bedfordshire
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
11 Years to 14 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Parental informed consent * Child assent

Exclusion criteria

* Health related issues identified from a health screen questionnaire that could be adversely affected by participation or could affect the study outcomes (e.g., allergies to the breakfast meals, fitted with a pacemaker) * Unable to walk or wear a combined heart rate-accelerometer on the chest.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Physical activity energy expenditure (kJ/day)Seven daysFree-living physical activity energy expenditure from sedentary, light, moderate and vigorous activities (kJ/day) assessed using combined heart rate-accelerometry across seven consecutive days.
Time spent in physical activity (minutes/day)Seven daysTime spent sedentary and in light, moderate and vigorous physical activity (minutes/day) assessed using combined heart rate-accelerometry across seven consecutive days.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Carbohydrate intake (g/day)Four daysCarbohydrate intake (g/day) assessed using combined digital photography and food diaries across four days.
Protein intake (g/day)Four daysProtein intake (g/day) assessed using combined digital photography and food diaries across four days.
Fibre intake (g/day)Four daysFibre intake (g/day) assessed using combined digital photography and food diaries across four days.
Fat intake (g/day)Four daysFat intake (g/day) assessed using combined digital photography and food diaries across four days.
Perceived fullness (mm)Four daysPerceived fullness (mm) assessed using 0-100 mm visual analogue scales on waking, at 09:00 and at 10:30 on four days. Higher values equate to higher fullness.
Perceived tiredness levels (mm)Four daysPerceived tiredness levels (mm) assessed using 0-100 mm visual analogue scales on waking, at 09:00 and at 10:30 on four days. Higher values equate to higher tiredness.
Perceived energy levels (mm)Four daysPerceived energy levels (mm) assessed using 0-100 mm visual analogue scales on waking, at 09:00 and at 10:30 on four days. Higher values equate to higher energy levels.
Perceived hunger (mm)Four daysPerceived hunger (mm) assessed using 0-100 mm visual analogue scales on waking, at 09:00 and at 10:30 on four days. Higher values equate to higher hunger.
Energy intake (kJ/day)Four daysEnergy intake (kJ/day) assessed using combined digital photography and food diaries across four days.

Countries

United Kingdom

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026