Background: Breakfast is widely accepted as an important meal of the day. Nevertheless, breakfast is the most frequently skipped meal by many children. Aim: To study the relationship between breakfast eating and academic achievement of high school children. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 325 school children aged 13 to 15 years. Data were collected regarding breakfast habits and the reasons for skipping breakfast. The marks scored in Mathematics and English during the annual examination were taken to look at the academic performance. Results: It was found that 70% of children had consumed breakfast regularly (> 5 times a week) and 30% of them had skipped breakfast. The reasons for skipping breakfast were not having enough time in the morning 48%, the children were not feeling hungry 30%, they did not have breakfast prepared at home 18%, and 4% of them disliked the food. It was found that those children who breakfast had regularly scored higher marks in Mathematics and English compared to children who had skipped breakfast and this was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.01). Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed that breakfast consumption had a positive impact on school performance. We should spread this knowledge among the students, parents, and teachers. Providing breakfast to all school children as part of the school health program would go a long way in improving the welfare of the children and this, in turn, would build a strong nation in the years to come.

Breakfast, Academic Performance, School Children, Adolescents