Breakfast Consumption Patterns of Older Americans

Abstract

Breakfast consumption patterns of adults ages 50 years and older were examined through utilization of the U.S.D.A. 1977-78 Nationwide Food Consumption Survey. Results indicated that adults ages 50 to 61 years skipped approximately 16 to 18 percent of possible breakfasts while those 62 years and older skipped about 9 percent of possible breakfasts. The composition and the two most commonly consumed breakfasts was: eggs, bread and coffee; bread and coffee. The sample was partitioned into four age/sex classes and within each class into four breakfast consumption patterns. Assessments of average dietary component intakes showed that omission of breakfast had a strong negative impact on diet quality. For all age/sex classes, consumption of ready-to-eat cereal at breakfast, whether frequently or on a more limited basis, increased the average daily intake of all vitamins and minerals, particularly those which have been identified as underconsumed by elderly individuals. Further, groups of adults who regularly consumed ready-to-eat cereal at breakfast had greater average daily intakes of fat and cholesterol. The authors concluded that breakfast, particularly breakfast containing ready-to-eat cereal, greatly enhanced the nutritional quality of diets of invinduals ages 50 years and older.