Meal skipping among adolescents in the Philippines: prevalence, associated factors, and associations with dietary, mental health, and health risk behavioural outcomes

Almost seven in 10 adolescents skipped any meal in the past month. Sociodemographic and protective factors were associated with meal skipping. Exposure to meal skipping was associated with 15 out of 17 dietary, mental health, and other health risk behaviour outcomes. In order to lower various adverse health outcomes in adolescents, the results thus showed how important it is to improve in a regular meal pattern, particularly meal frequency and meal skipping. Interventions incorporating parental and peer engagement could be strengthened alongside school health education to effectively address meal skipping behaviours.