A breakfast survey of primary schools in low income inner city areas of Southampton

Abstract

This report describes the results of a survey of children's reported or perceived breakfast habits in seven primary schools serving low-income areas in Southampton during January-April 1993. Structured and semi- structured interviews were used. The two types of interview revealed a similar frequency of skipping breakfast, which was reported by 5.1 per cent in the entire sample of 935 children. The most common items apparently consumed at breakfast were cereal (68 per cent) usually with milk (61 per cent). Nearly a third of the children had sugar as well. Small numbers reported eating during the rest of the morning, most often in the mid-morning break when 447 (48 per cent) had a snack and 135 (14 per cent) had a drink. Striking differences were reported among the schools as to whether the children had a snack at all, and the type of snack. The importance of school's policies and practices should be explored further, as a potentially powerful force for achieving dietary behavioural change.