Breakfast and snack patterns of primary school girls in Omidieh, Khuzestan Province, Iran

Appropriate consumption of main nutritional groups in childhood and special in elementary school ages is one of the main priorities in all countries. The main meal is considered to be breakfast. A healthy breakfast increases the energy and mental performance. This study conducted to evaluate Breakfast and snack patterns of primary school girls in Omidieh، Khuzestan Province، Iran. This cross- sectional study conducted on 155 primary school girls which sampled from three randomly selected schools in Omidieh city. Data were collected using questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS software. The results showed a satisfactory breakfast consumption pattern in the studied population as 80% of cases reported that they regularly eat breakfast، during 14 days of study. Results showed that 22% of students consume Junk foods including puffs، chips and candy while 13% of them consumed traditional snacks including dried fruits and nuts. Eating breakfast as a main meal was at a satisfactory level in the studied population. Replacing the junk foods like puffs، chips and candy with healthier ones including nuts and dried fruits should be considered by responsible parties. It is therefore necessary to conduct educational programs regarding nutrition of school children using public media، especially television.