The final structural equation model of this study showed that behavioral perceptions, behavioral effects, and commitment to planning had direct effects on the behavior of breakfast consumption. The fitness indices of the HPM in the current study were acceptable.This model explained 47% of the variance of health promoting behaviors. The behavioral perceptions and behavioral effects have direct and indirect relationships with the behavior of breakfast as well, and also predict the behavior of breakfast by influencing the commitment to the action plan indirectly. Along with previous studies, behavioral perceptions and behavioral effects are prominent variables that influence the behavior of contributing health promotion (4, 19, 20).
The beliefs such as perceived benefits, perceived barriers, perceived self-efficacy and activity-related affects are behavioral perceptions that can facilitate or prevent the motivation to change behavior (21). According to a previous study, psychological indicators, such as activity-related affects about breakfast intake may impact the regular habit of breakfast intake(22). Activity-related affects are emotions that occur prior to, during, and after a specific health-related behavior. A healthy food that is not tasty is one of the most important factors preventing breakfast behavior, because the most important criterion for choosing food in young people is the taste(23). Consistent with previous studies, availability of healthy foods based on the interests of the children can increase the amount of fruits and vegetable compositions(24, 25).
Perceived self-efficacy means a person's confidence in his ability to achieve the desired goals. Nutritional self-efficacy is the perceived ability of a person to choose healthy foods, especially in difficult conditions when there are limitations in healthy food choices or when there is no incentive to choose them(26). In nutrition education studies, much emphasis has been placed on self-efficacy as a predictor of nutritional intent and behavior(27, 28).. Studies on use of fruits and vegetables in children and adolescents also show that self-efficacy is a positive and important predictor in increasing the consumption of fruits(29, 30).
Perceived benefits are beliefs about the usefulness of breakfast and the reduction of adverse effects caused by not taking it(31). A previous study showed that informing people about the benefits of having healthy snacks will further motivate them to do it as a behavior. In addition, promoting other positive outcomes of breakfast, such as promoting psychosocial function, increasing awareness, improving the mood, as well as the effect of breakfast intake on the adequacy of diet should be considered (32). In previous studies, the relationship between perceived benefits and nutritional behaviors, especially breakfast, has been investigated(4, 27, 33).
Perceived barriers perceptual factors about breakfast intake may include morning anorexia, homogeneity and lack of breakfast diversity, time consuming, and being alone at breakfast time(34). The use of tangible incentives, such as breakfast in a place where one wishes or is tailor-made, or mental encouragement, such as its positive impact on individual academic performance, increases the participation of audiences to adopt the behavior of breakfast intake In addition, providing social support to increase participation and reduce perceived barriers is effective(1).
The behavioral effects such as interpersonal influences and situational influences have direct and indirect relationships with the behavior of breakfast as well, and also predict the behavior of breakfast. The situational influences are perceptions about the capacity of the living environment in facilitating a particular health-related behavior. The situational influences are those that increase the personal access to healthy breakfast. A systematic review showed that access to fruits and vegetables at the neighborhood level of living was directly related to intake of those foods by adolescents and children (32). Cultural and structural factors of the community, such as existence of healthy food choices in the school buffet, affect the dietary habits of children (33). Therefore, breakfast should be available so that children and adolescents can consume it which reduces perceived barriers to breakfast intake among children and adolescent.
The interpersonal influences are perceptions about the behaviors and beliefs of others, such as family members and friends, regarding the performance of a specific health-related behavior. This factor has been investigated in previous systematic review as a variable of subjective norms, such as family and friends(35). The encouraging effects of the family on improving nutritional behaviors of children have been studied and documented. There are studies that show the role of mothers in developing appropriate and inappropriate nutritional behaviors among children(36). Peer education is also an effective strategy for changing behavior. Peer groups have had the most impact on the performance of children and adolescents in all domains, which can be positive or negative(37).
Prior related behaviors are indirectly related and predictive of breakfast intake. Prior related behaviors influence the beliefs, effects and regulation of performing health promotion behaviors(21). Wong et al. describe behavior as the strongest predictor of breakfast intake in the future (38). According to a study on the effects of sleeping habits on breakfast intake, children who eat breakfast on daily basis, they go to bed earlier than unborn babies(39). In addition, there is a positive relationship between the time a child has been inactive, such as watching television or gaming, with frequency and type of consuming low value snacks(40).
The final decision to conduct a behavior is largely influenced personal factors(31). The results of the present study showed that personal variables such as family size, birth rate, birth order, time of falling sleep, dinner time, previous semester, and participation in breakfast have a significant correlation with the average number of breakfast dishes. The results of previous studies have shown that breakfast was associated with personal characteristics such as the status of work of parents, their socioeconomic status, and their education(41, 42).
Our study had a couple of advantages and a limitation as well. The advantages include use of relatively large sample size and structural equation model for statistical data analysis. Nonetheless, we failed to collect information about a number of variables the may influence our findings.