The effect of ethnicity on the benefits of ready‐to‐eat cereal consumption at breakfast

The food pattern that includes ready‐to‐eat (RTE) cereals at breakfast is associated with important reductions in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol, and increases the likelihood of an individual meeting the recommended dietary allowances for iron and calcium for three sub‐populations studied (Anglos, African‐Americans, and Hispanics). Beverages, fruit, cereals, breads, and egg items represent the major components of breakfast. RTE cereals were consumed in 30 per cent of the breakfasts; they were fifth in the number of grams consumed per capita. Consumers of RTE cereals consumed a very different pattern of food from non‐consumers of RTE cereals. Individuals aged five and older with three days of dietary data from the US 1989‐91 Continuing Survey of Food for Individuals Intake were used for the analysis, n = 9,957. All breakfasts were combined (n = 26,271).