Abstract
Background and objectives: The International Breakfast Research Initiative developed nutrient recommendations for a balanced breakfast, based on daily guidelines and actual contribution of breakfast in Europe. The aim of the Breakfast Toolkit Project is to translate nutrient recommendations into practical advice for both individuals and health professionals, and to develop a toolkit for dietitians. Methods: We conducted a 19-item online survey to assess the experience and resources of dietitians when recommending breakfast as part of a balanced diet. Results: A total of 336 dietitians from 27 countries participated in the survey. Forty-nine percent were working in clinical practice or private consulting. Around 50% thought that the general population is somewhat aware of the impact of breakfast on health, with the highest number of people not being aware in northern Europe. A lack of time and not feeling hungry in the morning are the main obstacles to achieve a healthy breakfast all over Europe, while a lack of money is more concerning in central and eastern Europe than other areas. Although slight differences are observed between European regions, increasing fresh fruit and vegetables (17%), decreasing sugary food (14.5%), and switching to whole grain cereals (18%) are the most peremptory needed interventions, according to the experience of the dietitians. Educational materials focused on breakfast are scarce and would be appreciated by dietetics practitioners. Breakfast printed infographics and recommendations are the most valued tools (39%), followed by examples of healthy recipes and menus (21%). Discussion: Nutritional quality of breakfast is an overall problem in Europe that dietitians need to address in any setting in which they work. Dietary malpractices at breakfast are the same in all countries, as are the obstacles people face when trying to improve the quality of breakfast. Thus, common evidence-based dietary guidelines and educational materials will help dietitians work in implementing healthy breakfast habits in the European population. Printable online materials, to be used in consultancy, and culinary tips are the most appreciated tools by practitioners.
Author Contributions
Conceptualization, E.A.-A., A.G.-G., K.N. and E.K.; methodology, E.A.-A., A.G.-G., K.N., E.F. and E.H.; validation, E.A.-A., K.N. and E.K.; formal analysis, A.G.-G.; investigation, A.G.-G., M.M.-N. and E.H.; resources, E.F., E.H. and M.M.-N.; data curation, A.G.-G., writing—original draft preparation, E.A.-A., K.N., E.F. and E.K.; writing—review and editing, E.A.-A., A.G.-G. and E.K.; supervision, E.K.; project administration, E.K.; funding acquisition, E.A.-A., A.G.-G., K.N. and E.K. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding
The Breakfast Toolkit was developed by the European Federation of Associations of Dietitians (EFAD) with the support of MS Nutrition and Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW). EFAD received a non-restricted educational grant from CPW.
Institutional Review Board Statement
Ethical review and approval were waived for this study due to the nature of data recorded and the totally anonymous surveying process.
Informed Consent Statement
Not applicable.
Data Availability Statement
Data available by request form the corresponding author.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest. CPW provided a non-restricted educational grant to sustain the project, but had no influence over the professional opinion of the dietitians and research teams working on the project or on the dietetic content of any materials produced.
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content. |
© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).