A study has been carried out to assess the breakfast consumption pattern of pre-school children of Dharwad taluk, Karnataka.A total of 551 pre-school children of 3 to 5 years were randomly selected from rural and urban areas of Dharwad. Breakfast consumption pattern was assessed personally by interviewing the mothers of children using self-structured questionnaire. Irrespective of age, and locality 73.10 per cent of children consumed breakfast regularly (>5 times a week) while remaining 26.90 per cent were not regular in consumption(<4 times a week). Biscuits were consumed by higher per cent (91.86%) of children followed by Idli (84.78%), Dosa (84.60%) and Paddu (74.50%). Majority of rural children consumed Idli (86%), Upma (84%), biscuits (84%), Paddu (82.80%) and Avalakki (80.80%). Whereas urban children consumed biscuits (98.10%), Dosa (90.79%) and Idli (83.81%). Tea was common beverage among rural children (80.80%) compared to urban (76.19%). Approximately 25 and 31 per cent of rural and urban children consumed fruits for breakfast either alone or with solid food. Higher per cent of rural children (95.60%) consumed breakfast at home on holidays than urban children (65.71%). More than 50 per cent of rural (54.00%) and urban (53.33%) children ate only his or her choice of food for breakfast. Major reasons quoted for skipping breakfast included lack of appetite, mother was busy, getting up late in the morning and run to school, interested in playing rather than eating and no one to prepare breakfast. Children are wealth of any nation as they constitute one of the important segments of the population.

Author Name: Akkavva S. Wadakappanavar and Pushpa Bharati

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Keywords: Pre-school, Consumption pattern, Pre-school children

ISSN: 0976-1276

EISSN: 2230-9403

EOI/DOI: 10.15740/HAS/FSRJ/8.2/146-153

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