The International Breakfast Research Initiative—Evaluation and Comparison of Breakfast Nutrient Intakes in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines with a View to Proposing a Harmonised Nutrient-Based Breakfast Recommendation

Abstract:
The International Breakfast Research Initiative is a global study of breakfast nutrition, involving 17 countries in four continents, aiming to derive nutrient-based regional recommendations
for breakfast. This study aimed to propose a harmonised recommendation for three South-East Asian countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. For each country, data from nationally
representative dietary surveys on the contribution of breakfast to daily nutrient intakes at both the adult population level and at the level of the upper tertile of daily nutrient density using the Nutrient
Rich Food (NRF) Index were collated and examined. Energy intakes at breakfast ranged from 26 to 27% of daily energy intake. In all three countries, breakfast was carbohydrate-rich, providing
52 to 72% of breakfast energy intake, while it was higher in total and saturated fat in Malaysia and Indonesia. Intakes of fibre and vitamin C were low in all countries, while Malaysia tended
to have higher intakes of most minerals, including sodium. Daily and breakfast nutrient intakes (at the population level and in the upper tertile of the NRF Index) were compared to the Codex Alimentarius nutrient reference values (NRVs) to assess adequacy. A decision tree was established based on these data to guide the development of recommendations for nutrient intakes at breakfast
across the three countries.