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Nutrition during the early life cycle

Describing the longitudinal breakfast quality index trajectories in early childhood: results from Melbourne InFANT program

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 77, pages 363–369 (2023)Cite this article

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Abstract

Background

Breakfast quality in early childhood remains understudied. This study describes the changes in breakfast quality index (BQI) (i.e. trajectory) in early childhood and assesses its associations with obesity outcomes.

Methods

Data from children who participated in the Melbourne InFANT Program were used (n = 328). The Melbourne InFANT Program was a 15-month early obesity prevention intervention conducted from 2008 to 2013. Dietary intakes at ages 1.5, 3.5 and 5.0 years were assessed using three parent-proxy reported 24 h recalls. A revised nine-item BQI tool developed based on Australian dietary recommendations for young children was used to calculate BQI scores. Group-based trajectory modelling identified BQI trajectory groups. Multivariable linear and logistic regression examined the associations between identified BQI trajectory groups and obesity outcomes at age 5 years.

Results

Mean BQI at ages 1.5, 3.5 and 5.0 years was 4.8, 4.8, 2.7 points, respectively. Two BQI trajectory groups were identified, and both showed a decline in BQI. The mean BQI of most children (74%) decreased from 5.0 to 4.0 points from ages 1.5 to 5.0 years (referred as “High BQI” group). The remaining children (26%) had a mean BQI of 4.8 and 1.2 points at age 1.5 and 5.0 years, respectively (referred as “Low BQI” group). The “Low BQI” group appeared to show higher risk of overweight (OR:1.30, 95% CI: 0.60, 2.81, P = 0.66) at age 5 years than the “High BQI” group. No difference in body mass index (BMI) z-score was found between the two groups.

Conclusions

Two BQI trajectory groups were identified. Both groups showed a decline in breakfast quality from ages 1.5 to 5.0 years. Our study highlights the need for early health promotion interventions and strategies to improve and maintain breakfast quality across early childhood.

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Fig. 1: Comparison of average observed and predicted BQI from ages 1.5, 3.5, 5.0 years of the low BQI and high BQI trajectory groups.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the contribution of the parents and children who participated in the Melbourne InFANT Study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Seon Yeong Park, Penelope Love, Kathleen E Lacy, Karen J Campbell & Miaobing Zheng

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Contributions

Conceptualisation: MZ, PL, KL, KC. Data curation: MZ, KL, SP. Formal analysis: MZ, SP. Project administration: MZ. Resources: MZ. KC. Software: MZ, SP. Supervision: MZ, PL, KL, KC. Writing original draft: SP. Writing review and editing: MZ, PL, KL, KC.

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Correspondence to Seon Yeong Park.

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Park, S.Y., Love, P., Lacy, K.E. et al. Describing the longitudinal breakfast quality index trajectories in early childhood: results from Melbourne InFANT program. Eur J Clin Nutr 77, 363–369 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-022-01249-5

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