In-Class Breakfast: Impact on Breakfast Skipping and Eating in Multiple locations

INTRODUCTION: In the 2009-2010 school year, 180 schools in NYC's high-need neighborhoods implemented in-class breakfast (ICB). The impact of ICB on breakfast skipping, number of items eaten, and location of morning eating was conducted. METHODS: Third - fifth graders in nine ICB and seven matched "control" (no ICB) schools were surveyed from January - March 2010. Students were asked whether they ate food from: home, bodega/restaurant, school cafeteria, or classroom. By location, students indicated each food eaten from a list of food items. 2,289 students (n=1044 ICB; n=1245 control) participated. RESULTS: ICB was associated with lower levels of breakfast skipping (8.7% of ICB students and 15.0% of control school students ate nothing in the morning) but was also associated with higher levels of eating from 2+ locations (51.1% ICB vs. 30% control). Items eaten per child increased with increasing locations: children eating at one location ate 2.4 items while those who ate at two or more locations ate ~5 items. There was no difference in fruit/vegetable (18.8% vs. 17%) or candy/donuts/chips consumption (29% in both groups). Among ICB classroom eaters, 36.5% of students from schools with longer-term implementation ate only in the classroom vs. 27.9% of those from shorter-term implementation schools. DISCUSSION: ICB reduced breakfast skipping but was associated with increased likelihood of eating from multiple locations. Longer implementation may attenuate this association. Additional research should explore ICB's impact on morning and daily caloric and nutrient consumption, as well as BMI, to understand impact on obesity and nutrition.