Breakfast Size and Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Spanish Cohort

Abstract

Background: Recent evidence suggest that energy distribution during the daytimecould be a potential determinant for the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Objective: To cross-sectionally assess the association between breakfast size and the prevalence of MetS in Spanish adults. Methods: Our study included a subset of 3644 participants from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Spain study recontacted between 2017-2018. Information on diet, sociodemographic, lifestyle, sleep quality, and chronotype was collected using standardized questionnaires, while anthropometric and blood pressure data were measured in a face-to-face personal interview by a nurse. MetS was defined according to the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATPIII) definition by measuring serum levels of total cholesterol, tryglycerides and glucose. Breakfast size was calculated as: (energy from breakfast/total energy intake) * 2000 kcal. To evaluate the association between breakfast size and MetS prevalence, a multivariable logistic regression model adjusted by potential confounders was used to estimate OR and 95% CI. Results: Prevalence of MetS in our study was 40.7%. The mean breakfast size was 306.6 * 2000 kcal (15% of the total daily energy intake), with 14 (0.4%) participants skipping breakfast. Participants in the highest quartile of breakfast size had a lower MetS prevalence compared to participants in the lowest quartile (ORQ4vsQ1 = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.51-0.76; p-trend < 0.001). No modification of the estimated ORs by sex, breakfast time, and number of eating occasions per day were observed. Conclusion: Our results suggest that higher breakfast size is associated with lower prevalence of MetS in Spanish adults, supporting the importance of a high energy breakfast. Further prospective studies are necessary to confirm these findings.