In 2023, about 1 in 4 high school students ate breakfast daily, according to a survey of adolescent health and well-being from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that charted a decline in students’ health lifestyle behaviors between 2013 and 2023.

The report, which describes 10-year trends and more recent changes over a two-year period, delves into adolescents’ dietary, physical activity and sleep behaviors. It is based on a national youth risk behavior survey of a representative sample of students in grades nine to 12.

The study revealed that while there was a slight decrease in soda and sports drink consumption, along with an increase in water consumption, all other indicators of healthy dietary behaviors decreased in high school students. In 2023, only 27 percent ate breakfast daily in the previous seven days. The number was lower for female students, with only 22 percent eating breakfast daily in 2023, compared with 32 percent of male students. Boys were also more likely to eat fruit and vegetables daily and to drink water at least three times a day. Along with other unhealthy behaviors such as not getting enough physical activity, students’ poor mental health has been associated with not eating breakfast.

Across the full 10-year survey period, there were decreases in the percentage of high school students eating fruit (63 to 55 percent), vegetables (61 to 58 percent) and breakfast daily (38 to 27 percent). The only positive trends were increases in the percentage of students who drank plain water at least three times per day (49 to 54 percent), which the survey began tracking in 2015. Fewer students also said they drank soda in 2023 than in 2013 – 22 percent avoided soda in 2013, but 31 percent did so 10 years later.

The report emphasizes that a healthy diet, along with daily physical activity and sufficient sleep, contributes to a healthy lifestyle. “The 10-year trends from 2013 to 2023 also show a decline in healthy dietary, physical activity, and sleep behaviors,” the survey reported.