Breakfast consumption by first-third grade primary school children from Poland in the context of selected dietary habits, lifestyle elements, and socioeconomic status

Daily breakfast consumption is recommended for school children as an element of a healthy diet. This study aimed to (1) assess the frequency of breakfast consumption among children in grades 1–3 of primary school and (2) analyse the influence of selected dietary habits (DH), lifestyle habits (LH), and socioeconomic status (SES) on breakfast consumption (BC+). The study included 2408 children from 42 randomly selected schools in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship (Poland). Data on DH and LH were obtained using a questionnaire. Statistical analysis used Pearson’s Chi-squared test and odds ratio (OR). BC+ was noted, regardless of gender, in 91% of children, but only 68% ate daily, 13% often. OR of BC+ was lower among children whose parents had primary education (mothers: OR = 0.54; fathers: OR = 0.37) compared with higher education, and among children whose fathers had secondary education (OR = 0.51) compared with higher education. Children eating fewer than five meals daily and those with ≥2 h/day screen time had a lower probability of BC+. Low level of parents’ education, living in the countryside and in areas with higher poverty rates, and long screen time adversely influence on BC+. The results suggest a need for educational and intervention efforts, particularly in rural and economically disadvantaged areas.