This study will test whether whether the implementation of and Egg-cellent 'Breakfast in the Classroom' improves school breakfast participation and breakfast consumption in middle school adolescents; whether the implementation of 'Breakfast in the Classroom' improves appetite control, mood, cognitive performance, and unhealthy snacking behavior in middle school adolescents when compared to a traditional school breakfast program.
The investigators propose an 4-week cross-over design breakfast study in children enrolled in 6-8th grade within the Center School District in the Kansas City, Missouri. This school will begin their 'Breakfast in the Classroom' program on March 26, 2018. Prior to the start of 'Breakfast in the Classroom', baseline data will be collected on the students who wish to participate in the study. Baseline data includes anthropometric assessments; demographics; current eating habits; cognitive performance; appetite; and mood. Following baseline, the students will be provided a breakfast that meets all the requirements for a reimbursable school breakfast with the addition of two eggs for 3-weeks: At 4 weeks (3 weeks after initiation of the program), the study participants will complete a similar outcomes to those completed at baseline.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
91
Includes the additional 2 eggs per day
Receives the standard meal for Breakfast in the Classroom
Center Middle School
Kansas City, Missouri, United States
School Breakfast Program Participation
Participation at during the traditional school breakfast program and throughout the Breakfast in the Classroom program will be determined by the electronic school meal tracking system that logs student participation each day for breakfast and lunch.
Time frame: 3-weeks prior to program initiation and 3-weeks of program
Habitual Breakfast Habits Questionnaire
During one day, a questionnaire assessing previous breakfast habits will be given to participants. This questionnaire asks how many days per week they consume various breakfast foods.
Time frame: Baseline and 3-weeks after beginning the intervention
Benefits of Breakfast Questionnaire
During one day, a questionnaire asking the participants what happens when participants consume breakfast and skip breakfast will be administered. They will be given a list of choices (multiple selections are allowed) and the units for analysis will be binary (they chose it or did not choose it).
Time frame: Baseline and 3-weeks after beginning the intervention
Snacking Questionnaires
During one day, questionnaires assessing typical snacking behavior will be completed once. Participants will be asked to think about what they ate during the past week. They will be asked how many times they ate a variety of foods throughout this week. The students will complete these on their respective Chromebook laptops or will be provided paper copies (if their Chromebook is not available).
Time frame: Baseline and 3-weeks after beginning the intervention
Cognitive Performance Assessment
During one day, cognitive performance assessments will occur once between 120 min and 180 min after breakfast using the online CNS Vital Signs neurocognitive assessment system during one day. The CNS Vital Signs system contains a battery of computerized tests to assess attention, memory, executive function, and cognitive flexibility. The assessment will occur outside of classroom learning activities.
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Time frame: Baseline and 3-weeks after beginning the intervention
Appetite Questionnaires
Questionnaires, assessing hunger, fullness, prospective food consumption, and eating initiation, will be completed during the following times for 1 day immediately before lunch. The questions are worded as "how strong is your feeling of" or "how strong is your desire" with anchors of "not at all" to "extremely." The students will complete these on their respective Chromebook laptops or will be provided paper copies (if their Chromebook is not available). All results will be a number from 0 ("not at all") to 100 ("extremely") with the unit "of out of 100."
Time frame: Baseline and 3-weeks after beginning the intervention
Mood State Questionnaires
Questionnaires assessing tiredness, sleepiness, energy, irritability/agitation, etc.) will be completed during the following times for 1 day immediately before lunch. The questions are worded as "how strong is your feeling of" or "how strong is your desire" with anchors of "not at all" to "extremely." The students will complete these on their respective Chromebook laptops or will be provided paper copies (if their Chromebook is not available). All results will be a number from 0 ("not at all") to 100 ("extremely") with the unit "of out of 100."
Time frame: Baseline and 3-weeks (Post-study)
Breakfast in the Classroom Participation Questionnaire
Questionnaires assessing whether they ate breakfast or skipped breakfast and what types of foods they ate (if they ate breakfast) will be completed for 5 consecutive days during baseline.
Time frame: Baseline and 3-weeks after beginning the intervention