One in four Indians skip breakfast: Study

Even as Food Security Bill for ensuring foodgrain supply to poor in the country gets debated in Parliament, a study by cereal maker Kelloggs India has found that one out of four Indians in metro cities, skip breakfast, which could lead to chronic diseases.
With reasons ranging from paucity of time to fears of weight gain, the study conducted by College of Home Science, Nirmala Niketan, Mumbai, found 27 per cent respondents saying they skipped breakfast.
Only three per cent respondents said they considered breakfast as essential part of the day, it added.
The study conducted over years, starting 2009, covered 3,619 respondents from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.

"Even among those who are having breakfast, we found glaring deficits in nutrients as per the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). About 72 per cent of the subjects are having nutritionally inadequate breakfast, especially in terms of iron and fibre intake," Malathi Sivaramkrishnan, Research Director at the institute told reporters here.
This was highest in Kolkata, followed by Mumbai and Delhi, while the best nutrient profile was that of Chennai, she added.

The study found that the tendency to skip breakfast was highest among adolescents (13-17 years) and women (54 per cent).
'Paranthas' emerged as the breakfast item of choice for Delhiites, while idlis and dosas found favour with Chennai residents. More respondents in Mumbai and Kolkata opted for bread, milk and eggs in breakfast.

"The findings are important for us at Kelloggs as it provides us important insight into consumer behaviour. It is alarming to know that so many people skip breakfast, which is the most important meal of the day. We will try and educate consumers on the benefits of having breakfast," Kelloggs India Managing Director Sangeeta Pendurkar said.
Asked if the company would launch products catering to wide Indian palette, she said the company has a strong innovation pipeline and will launch products in line with the demand.
Its current portfolio includes ready-to-eat cereals, muesli and oats.