Table 2 Description of Breakfast Quality Index (BQI) component and distribution of score point for each component across BQI categories in Iranian adults

1. Cereals and derivatives consumption ^a

93.65 (92.13—95.43)

84.32 (79.01—89.43)

96.33 (94.10—97.85)

96.05 (92.54—99.61)

 < 0.001

2. Fruit or Vegetables consumption ^b

45.18 (42.32—48.56)

6.83 (3.75—10.74)

53.3 (48.17—55.48)

88.01 (84.33—91.09)

 < 0.001

3. Dairy products consumption ^c

89.11 (87.50—91.51)

72.30 (66.34—79.13)

94.35 (93.19—95.45)

97.23 (96.43—99.01)

 < 0.001

4. Cereal, Fruit or Vegetables and Dairy products consumption in the same meal

39.59 (36.37—43.56)

0

27.34 (22.94—32.77)

96.43 (91.32—99.75)

 < 0.001

5. Compliance with energy intake recommendations (15–25% of total daily energy) ^d

28.61 (25.64—32.86)

10 (6.03 -14.44)

32.38 (25.71- 36.22)

54.55 (51.65—57.77)

 < 0.001

6. Free sugar content (< 10% total daily energy divided by the number of daily eating occasion of the individuals

49.34 (46.58—53.02)

29.02 (23.37- 35.80)

54.20 (49.91- 58.01)

74.55 (70.39 -78.41)

 < 0.001

7.Calcium content (20% of daily value) ^e

42.50 (39.21- 45.80)

22.80 (16.81- 28.53)

42.38 (41.63—49–81)

43.40 (42.30—53.90)

 < 0.001

8. Saturated fat content (< 10% total energy intake mg divided by the number of daily eating occasion of the individuals

39.41 (36.21—42.61)

19.1 (13.50—24.02)

44.43 (39.05—48.11)

44.33 (39.21—49.04)

 < 0.001

9. Total fibre content (> 25 gr divided by the number of daily eating occasion of the individual)

26.01 (23.44—29.48)

11.43 (7.19—13.66)

27.11(22.72—32.54)

42.33 (36.63—48.90)

 < 0.001

10. Sodium content (< 2000 mg divided by the number of daily eating occasion of the individuals

42.54 (38.90—45.56)

25.02 (19.10—33.85)

42.22 (37.45—47.71)

61.46 (60.43—69.43)

 < 0.001