Short- and Longer-Term Impact of a School Breakfast Programme on Nutrition Knowledge, Breakfast Nutrient Intake, and Short-Term Memory of School Children Age 9-11 Years Old: Results of the GESIT Study in Indonesia

Inadequate breakfast consumption among school children affects cognitive function, academic performance, and health, highlighting the need for school-based nutrition interventions. This study evaluates the short- and longer-term impact of the GESIT school breakfast programme on nutrition knowledge, breakfast nutrient intake, and short-term memory among elementary students aged 9–11 in Bogor, Indonesia. A pre-post quasi-experimental design was used across three groups: Breakfast intervention with education (BreakfastEdu group), nutrition education only (Education group), and a control group. Longer-term evaluation occurred three months post-intervention. Subjects were grade 4–5 students (n=212). The intervention lasted 20 school days. Data was collected on socio-economic characteristics, breakfast nutrient intake, nutrition knowledge, and short-term memory. Short-term impacts showed the highest nutrition knowledge improvements in the BreakfastEdu (p<0.001) and Education groups (p<0.001). Energy, protein, total fat, vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D, calcium, potassium, polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), and linoleic acid (LA) intake increased in the BreakfastEdu group (p<0.05) from baseline to endline. Short-term memory scores improved only in the BreakfastEdu group (p=0.01). Significant differences from baseline-endline between groups were observed for these nutrients, except for protein, PUFA, ALA, and LA intake. Initial intervention gains diminished after three months without reinforcement. Post hoc mixed-effect sensitivity analysis attenuated significance when school-level clustering was taken into consideration. The GESIT programme enhanced short-term breakfast nutrient intake in the BreakfastEdu group. While nutrition knowledge and memory improved within intervention groups, long-term impact was not sustained. Future programmes should incorporate continuous education and school policy support to maintain results.