2.2.10 Percentage of Canadian students in grades 6 through 10 who reported that they usually had breakfast (more than a glass of milk or juice) every day on school days, by gender and grade, Canada, 2014
Source: CICH graphic created using data adapted from Health Behaviour in School-aged Children in Canada: Focus on Relationships. 2015.
In 2014, boys were more likely than were girls to eat breakfast on school days – at every grade level.
The proportion of both girls and boys eating breakfast every day on school days decreased with increasing grades.
77% of Grade 6 boys and 72% of Grade 6 girls ate breakfast every day on school days.
54% of boys in Grade 10 and 45% of girls in Grade 10 ate breakfast every day.
Implications
It is well understood that if children and youth are hungry it can affect their concentration and learning at school. A recent survey of Canadian elementary, middle and high school teachers found that on average, children who came to school hungry lost up to two ours a day due to lack of productivity – about one-third of the school day. The teachers also reported that hungry students were more irritable and disruptive in the classroom, were more likely to engage in bullying and struggled to make friends.1
1The Kellogg’s Breakfasts For Better Days Survey. 2017. https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/441378043.html#