Effect of Breakfast Consumption and Meal Time Regularity on Nutrient Intake and Cardiometabolic Health in Korean Adults

OBJECTIVE: Dietary factors are important contributors to obesity and related metabolic disorders. Few studies have evaluated the impact of dietary habits (e.g., breakfast consumption frequency and meal regularity) on metabolic health. We investigated the effects of breakfast consumption frequency and meal time regularity on nutrient intake and cardiometabolic status in Korean adults. METHODS: Participants without diagnosed diseases (n=217) were examined for anthropometric and biochemical parameters, lifestyle, dietary habits, and nutrient intake. They were categorized into 4 groups by breakfast consumption frequency (≥6 or <6 times/week) and meal time regularity (regular or irregular): breakfast ≥6 times/week and regular eating (HBRE), breakfast ≥6 times/week and irregular eating (HBIE), breakfast <6 times/week and regular eating (LBRE) and breakfast <6 times/week and irregular eating (LBIE). RESULTS: Participants in the LBIE group were the youngest, had higher waist circumference, body mass index, triglyceride levels, and inflammation, and consumed the highest daily total caloric intake (TCI), the highest proportion of fats, and the lowest proportion of carbohydrates. The LBIE group also had the lowest proportion of energy intake at breakfast and the highest proportion at dinner. The LBIE group consumed the lowest amounts of fiber, beta-carotene, vitamin K, folate, calcium and iron, and had the highest prevalence of inadequate nutrient intake for TCI, protein, vitamins A, C, B6, and B12, folate, calcium, iron, zinc, and copper. CONCLUSION: Regular breakfast consumption and meal times are related to healthy lifestyle habits and adequate nutrient intake, which affect metabolic health, thereby helping prevent obesity and related metabolic disorders.