Adolescents and breakfast

Age and gender related self-consciousness: girls show higher rates of breakfast skipping compared to boys. This could be deliberate as a weight control strategy: weight control intentions and disordered eating behaviours are closely linked to breakfast skipping patterns.

Biological and physiological factors: biological shifts can alter sleep schedules and appetite patterns. Teenagers usually have later sleep times and feel less hungry in the morning, which contributes to a lower-quality diet overall.

Food preferences and dietary patterns: many young people show preferences for unhealthy foods over relatively nutritious options available in breakfast provision. Misinformation on social media can also contribute to poor food choices and understanding the importance of breakfast. 

Food intolerances and allergies: breakfast provision could be avoided by children and young people with allergies and intolerances, especially if adjustments are not made to ensure breakfast provision is accessible. Children with autism spectrum disorders are significantly more likely to have food allergies and sensory-driven food selectivity can leave neurodiverse children without safe, acceptable breakfast options in schools. 

Time pressures and practical constraints: lack of time due to study pressures, job responsibilities, and long travel times can create significant barriers to having breakfast.

Activity preferences and screen time: excessive screen time especially in older children due to availability of smartphones has also been associated with irregular eating patterns and reduced breakfast consumption.

External influences: children are more likely to miss breakfast when parents do the same, and families larger than five are more likely to miss breakfast. Social dynamics in school settings can either support or discourage healthy eating behaviours, and many adolescents avoid participating in breakfast programmes to prevent being perceived as poor or different. 

Economic and political factors: funding shortfalls, staffing constraints, competing priorities and existing catering contracts can act as barriers to school breakfast provision. 

Breakfast club policies: the National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP), which provides subsidised breakfast food and delivery for schools in areas facing the highest levels of deprivation across England, including secondary schools, is due to end in July 2026. No Government-funded breakfast provision currently exists for mainstream secondary schools in devolved nations of the UK. 

Social, cultural, and knowledge barriers: such as some schools struggle to convey the benefits of breakfast attendance with parents, leading to low uptake; school leadership may regard breakfast provision as beyond the scope of the school’s responsibilities or not as a strategic priority; educational institutions may encounter challenges in developing inclusive breakfast programmes. 

Technological, legal, and environmental barriers: a lack of appropriate kitchens or dining spaces, and regulatory requirements such as food safety can create additional burdens. 

Teenage lifestyle and associated challenges: decline in diet quality as young people enter adolescence, may be preferences for fast food outlets. 

Inequalities: geographic disparities cause inequalities, and children and young people are disproportionately affected by food insecurity. Food insecure households may have to cut down on healthy foods due to costs.

Home lives: meal consumption and wider wellbeing can be affected by young people’s home lives, and young carers can face additional, acute challenges. 

School food standards: secondary schools may not be meeting school food standards, although a lack of monitoring makes this difficult to ascertain, and most young people do not enjoy school food or feel that it is healthy. 

Formation of perceptions: perceptions of food are influenced by parents, peers, the school environment, and the local built environment. Social media and targeted advertising can play a significant role in shaping young people’s understanding of nutrition and disordered eating. 

Gender norms: young women and girls are exposed to a culture of over dieting and may prioritise body image over health, while young men and boys are increasingly affected by body issues and may be using steroids as young as 13.