Breakfast Skipping: Influencing Factors and its Impact on Cognitive Function and Academic Performance among Malaysian University Students

Abstract

Breakfast skipping has been linked to impaired brain function and reduced information processing. While previous studies have focused on its association with academic performance among school children, other important factors, such as cognitive aspects, have received limited attention. Breakfast is the most frequently skipped meal among university students, however, its prevalence and the impact on cognitive performance among university students remain unclear. This study aims to determine the prevalence of breakfast skipping, factors associated with breakfast skipping, and the association of breakfast skipping with cognitive function and academic performance among Malaysian university students. A cross-sectional study was conducted, and 298 foundation and undergraduate students were recruited via convenience sampling. A questionnaire was used to determine sociodemographic, anthropometry data and breakfast consumption habits. Cognitive function was assessed using the location learning test, Digit Symbol Substitution Test and Stroop Test. Academic performance was assessed based on the latest examination grades. Binary logistic regression was performed to determine predictors of breakfast skipping. The prevalence of breakfast skipping among university students was 67.3%. Factors that were significantly associated with breakfast skipping were faculty, parents’ education levels, and living status. Students majoring in Arts and Social Sciences were more likely to skip breakfast (AOR = 2.196, 95% CI = 1.310-3.680, p = .003) while lower odds of breakfast skipping were found among students with parents who had higher education levels (AOR = 0.489, 95% CI = 0.245-0.974, p = .042) and students who lived with their parents at home (AOR = 0.513, 95% CI = 0.305-0.861, p = .012). Breakfast skipping was significantly associated with lower academic performance, poorer memory, lower attention and reaction times in executive function. Breakfast skipping has been identified as an urgent public health issue that demands swift intervention strategies from policy makers and university management to promote healthy breakfast habits among university students.