Association between Mediterranean Dietary Pattern and Breakfast Quality with Physical Fitness in School Children: The HIIT Project
Question
Are Mediterranean diet adherence and breakfast quality associated with physical fitness in 9- to 10-year-old school children?
Summary
In a baseline cross-sectional analysis of 175 Spanish school children from the HIIT Project, children with higher Mediterranean diet adherence had better cardiorespiratory fitness, standing broad jump, and speed-agility before accounting for physical activity. Those associations disappeared after adjustment for accelerometer-measured activity, and breakfast quality was not associated with fitness.
Methodology
- Spanish school children from the HIIT Project baseline cohort.
- 175 participants.
- Baseline observational analysis.
- Cross-sectional baseline analysis from the HIIT Project randomized trial
- Cardiorespiratory fitness, Strength, and Speed-agility were tracked.
Outcomes
MDP fitness
Higher Mediterranean diet adherence related to higher fitness before activity adjustment, but not after.
Age/sex model beta >=0.189, p<=0.02; after MVPA adjustment all p>0.05
Breakfast
Breakfast quality was not associated with fitness.
All p>0.05
Fitness groups
High MDP children had higher shuttle-run laps, jump distance, and agility before activity adjustment.
CRF p=0.041; standing broad jump p=0.016; speed-agility p=0.023
Insights
- When discussing children's fitness, physical activity may explain apparent diet-fitness associations.
- Do not infer that breakfast quality improves fitness from this analysis.
Limitations
- Cross-sectional design prevents causal inference.
- Breakfast quality was based on one 24-hour recall.
- No HIIT intervention outcomes were reported.
Safety
- No adverse events were reported.
- This was a baseline observational analysis, not a HIIT intervention study.
- Children with psychological or physical disorders hampering exercise or evaluation were excluded.