Abstract
Objective: The objective of this study was to clarify associations between skipping breakfast and metabolic syndrome (MetS)-related indicators in female health check-up examinees by age group, for use in the preparation of basic health guidance materials.
Methods: The subjects of the study were 4,378 women, aged 20 - 69 years who underwent a health check-up at our health management center between April 2011 and March 2012. Based on responses in the Specific Health Examination question sheet, we divided them into 2 groups: Breakfast Group and Skip Breakfast Group - and compared mean values of 8 MetS-related indicators selected for the study, for the subjects overall as well as by age group. We also conducted a comparison of the 2 groups regarding whether MetS related indicators were within or outside the reference ranges.
Results: In the comparison for the subjects overall, the mean values of the MetS indicators BMI, abdominal circumference, TG and LDL-C were significantly higher in the Skip Breakfast Group while the mean HDL-C was lower. Also, binomial logistic regression analysis showed that abdominal circumference, TG, FPG, and LDL-C were associated factors. In terms of age group, there were significant differences in mean MetS-related indicators between the Breakfast and Skip Breakfast Groups for subjects in their 20s (3 indicators), 30s (3 indicators) and 60s (1 indicator) and there particularly large numbers of indicators with differences in the 40s (6 indicators) and 50s (6 indicators) age groups. In addition, in the Skip Breakfast Group, excepting subjects in their 60s, there were correlations between age and MetS indicators outside the reference ranges, with high rates for subjects in their 20s (abdominal circumference), 30s (FPG, LDL-C), 40s (abdominal circumference, SBP, FPG, TG, LDL-C), and 50s (abdominal circumference, TG, HDL-C).
Conclusion: As there is a strong possibility that habitually skipping breakfast will lead to MetS, there is a need to individualize health guidance, with the focus on the particular characteristics of different age ranges, as well as consider early interventions from the 40s onwards.
