The Relationship Between Dietary Patterns and Breakfast Habits With The Nutritional Status of Students At Elementary School in Aceh Besar – Indonesia

Abstract

Background: Nutritional status is an important indicator of school-age children's health and growth. Dietary patterns and breakfast habits play an important role in meeting energy and nutrient requirements; however, students at SD Negeri 2 Pagar Air still skipped breakfast and consumed less healthy snacks. This study aimed to analyse the relationship between dietary patterns, breakfast habits, and students’ nutritional status. Methods: This quantitative, analytical observational study used a cross-sectional design and was conducted on 12–15 May 2026 at SD Negeri 2 Pagar Air, Ingin Jaya District, Aceh Besar Regency. The population and sample consisted of 46 students from grades III, IV, and V, selected using total sampling. Dietary patterns were assessed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), breakfast habits using a structured questionnaire, and nutritional status through body weight and height measurements using the BMI-for-age (BMI/A) indicator based on WHO standards. Bivariate analysis used the Pearson Chi-Square test with α=0.05. Results: Twenty-seven students (58.7%) had good dietary patterns, and 19 students (41.3%) had less adequate dietary patterns. Twenty-three students (50.0%) had low body weight status, and 23 students (50.0%) had normal status. The test of the relationship between dietary patterns and nutritional status produced p=1.000, indicating no significant relationship. Meanwhile, 27 students (58.7%) rarely had breakfast, and 19 students (41.3%) regularly had breakfast. Breakfast habits were significantly associated with nutritional status (p=0.003).Conclusion: Dietary patterns were not significantly associated with nutritional status, whereas breakfast habits were significantly associated with students' nutritional status.