Breakfast on Cognitive Function and Academic Performance in Adolescents

Abstract

A regular breakfast contributing approximately 15–30% of total daily energy requirements is essential for adolescent health and cognitive development, including concentration, memory, and mood, which may ultimately enhance learning achievement. This study aimed to examine the effect of breakfast consumption on cognitive function and academic performance among adolescents. A quasi-experimental design was conducted among students from SMPN 1 Ciomas as the intervention group and SMPN 2 Ciomas as the control group, involving 69 participants in each group. The intervention group received a standardized breakfast consisting of rice, balado eggs, fried tofu, stir-fried water spinach, and water, providing 20.2% of daily energy requirements. Breakfast energy intake in the control group was assessed using a food record method. Cognitive function and academic performance were evaluated using the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) and subject-based assessments in reading comprehension and basic mathematics. The intervention group demonstrated significantly higher blood glucose levels compared with the control group (95.5 ± 9.8 mg/dL vs. 74.8 ± 7.0 mg/dL; p<0.001). Mean cognitive function scores were also significantly higher in the intervention group (62.2 ± 13.8) than in the control group (48.7 ± 13.8; p<0.001). Similarly, academic performance in reading comprehension (75.9 ± 16.7) and basic mathematics (70.9 ± 20.2) was significantly better than that of the control group (68.1 ± 20.4 and 50.0 ± 23.0 respectively; p<0.001). Overall cognitive function scores were also higher in the intervention group (73.4 ± 15.9) compared with the control group (59.0 ± 19.5). These findings indicate that breakfast with appropriate quality and quantity significantly improves blood glucose levels, cognitive function, and academic performance among adolescents.