Nearly half a million Aussie kids are heading off to school on an empty stomach ^1,2 and it could be taking a serious bite out of their grades, a new study from Professor Jenny O’Dea, University of Sydney has revealed.³ 

That’s the equivalent of 10,000 school buses full of grumbling tummies, or two hungry kids in every classroom.^1,2

The startling figures have inspired Kellogg’s and Woolworths to embark on a month-long ‘Breakfast Crusade’ headed by former Olympian and mum-of-two Melinda Gainsford-Taylor to get Aussie kids starting the day the right way.

The independent study, which looked at the breakfast habits of 8003 children and compared them against their NAPLAN academic results, also revealed that children who ate a breakfast like cereal and milk, performed better academically than those who consumed nothing at all, or other options like toast and vegemite or just fruit. The greatest impact was observed in boys.

Professor O’Dea confirmed: “We’ve looked at other factors such as parent’s education and socio-economic status, but independent of those, we’ve found that children who skip breakfast, clearly perform worse than those who have a nutritious breakfast. The findings were very concerning and surprising to me and I think parents need reminding that their child’s schoolwork may suffer if they go to school hungry.”

To remind parents, teachers and kids about the importance of starting the day with a nutritious breakfast, Melinda Gainsford-Taylor will officially launch the Breakfast Crusade that she hopes will encourage more families to eat breakfast.

“Making sure my kids have a tasty, nutritious breakfast is top priority for me – to know that they’ve started their day in the best possible way and will have the energy to concentrate at school and get through the day ahead,” said Gainsford-Taylor, who has just returned from London 2012. 

The Breakfast Crusade which runs from Wednesday 22 August to Wednesday 19 September in Woolworths stores nationally is designed to put the spotlight back on the most important start to the day by offering budget-busting breakfast deals.  The campaign also includes donations of free cereal to schools and local communities through the Kellogg’s ‘Breakfast Buddies’ Program.

Launched in 2007, Kellogg’s Breakfast Buddies program has served up more than two million free bowls of cereal including Corn Flakes, Rice Bubbles and Sultana Bran to schools, sporting clubs, community groups and childcare facilities, as well as to outback, indigenous and disadvantaged communities.

Kellogg’s Nutritionist, Julie Howden, says that the Breakfast Buddies program is working hard to reverse the trend of breakfast skipping and is an integral part of Kellogg’s long-term commitment to supporting the Australian community.

“Breakfast Buddies is a great way for community groups, sporting clubs and schools in disadvantaged areas to access free cereal. We believe that every child is entitled to a healthy, nutritious breakfast,” she said.

Fast breakfast facts:

• Approximately 420,000 school students skip breakfast every day ^1,2
• Two students skip breakfast in every classroom ^1,2
• 1 in 5 Australians skip breakfast at least once a week ⁴
• 1 in 7 Australians eat breakfast alone3
• Breakfast contributes essential nutrients for growth and development1
• Research suggests that kids who eat breakfast may do better in school by improving their memory and concentration⁴

Schools and local community groups can apply for Kellogg’s Breakfast Buddies program by filling out the application form on the Kellogg’s website at www.kellogg.com.au or by contacting the Kellogg’s Consumer Contact Centre on 1800 000 474.  

For any media inquiries, interviews or images, please contact Liquid Ideas:
Louise Tran – louisetran@liquidideas.com.au / 02 9667 4211 / 0466 620 744
Joy Leaper – joyleaper@liquidideas.com.au / 02 9667 4211 / 0410 477 098

About Kellogg in Australia and New Zealand:
For more than 80 years, consumers have counted on Kellogg for great tasting, high quality and nutritious foods. Kellogg’s brands include some of Australia and New Zealand’s most loved breakfast cereals such as Kellogg's® Special K, Nutri-Grain, Sultana Bran and Corn Flakes and popular snacks like LCMs and K-Time Twists. Kellogg employs approximately 650 people across three manufacturing facilities and various state and sales offices across Australia and New Zealand. Kellogg is committed to supporting the Australian community through its strong environmental policy, community initiatives and its long and proud association with Surf Life Saving Australia and Foodbank Australia. We are passionate about our products and are proud to be a market leader.

¹ Department of Health and Ageing, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australian Food and Grocery Council, University of South Australia, Commonwealth Scientific Industrial and Research Organisation (2007) National Children’s Nutrition and Physical activity survey “Kids Eat Kids Play”, Australia
² Australian Bureau of Statistics (1997) 4802.0 – National Nutrition Survey, Selected Highlights, Australian, 1995
³ O’Dea, J.A. & Mugridge, A. (2012) Nutritional quality of breakfast and physical activity independently predict the literacy and numeracy scores of children after adjusting for socioeconomic status. Health Education Research. doi:10.1093/her/cys069
⁴ Kellogg’s Usage and Attitude Study 2012 (IMI International)
⁵ Hoyland et al, Nutrition Research Review, 2009