Modern urbanites are often so busy with work that they grow accustomed to staying up late and waking up late. Consequently, they eat dinner late, sometimes skipping breakfast altogether due to time constraints. However, recent research has found people who eat breakfast later are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes, while those who have dinner later are more prone to stroke.
The International Journal of Epidemiology published a large-scale prospective study in 2023, covering approximately 103,000 adults, with a median follow-up time of 7.3 years. Researchers evaluated the relationship between meal timing and the incidence of Type 2 diabetes. The results revealed that compared to those who habitually eat breakfast before 8 a.m., those who eat breakfast after 9 a.m. had a 59 percent higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
These findings may surprise practitioners of intermittent fasting. For example, for one popular 16:8 fasting method, many skip breakfast or delay it to extend the fasting period at night. However, this study found no clear relationship between the duration of nighttime fasting and the incidence of Type 2 diabetes. Nevertheless, maintaining a fasting period of over 13 hours at night while eating breakfast before 8 a.m. was associated with a 53 percent reduction in the risk of Type 2 diabetes compared to those who fasted for less than 12 hours at night.
How does the timing of breakfast affect the development of Type 2 diabetes? The researchers pointed out that the body’s ability to process sugar is at its peak in the morning, and it is more sensitive to insulin. Additionally, skipping breakfast can also impact other risk factors for Type 2 diabetes, such as raising bad cholesterol and lowering good cholesterol.
An earlier large-scale population-based study indicated that individuals who skip breakfast tended to have worse blood sugar and lipid profiles and were more prone to obesity while skipping lunch or dinner did not significantly impact metabolism.
Late Dinner Increases Risk of Cerebrovascular Disease
In addition to finding the Type 2 diabetes link, a study published by the same research team in December 2023 found that the overall risk of cardiovascular disease increased by 6 percent for each additional hour of delaying breakfast. Furthermore, people who ate dinner after 9 p.m. experienced a 13 percent higher overall risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those who ate before 8 p.m.
The study also found that eating dinner too late can increase the risk of cerebrovascular diseases, including cerebral thrombosis and cerebral hemorrhage. Compared to eating dinner before 8 p.m., eating dinner after 9 p.m. was associated with a 28 percent increase in the risk of cerebrovascular diseases. Furthermore, for each additional hour of delay in dinner time, the risk of cerebrovascular diseases increased by 8 percent.
Skipping Breakfast Increases Risk of Death
Multiple studies have confirmed the importance of breakfast for health. A study published in 2019 found that compared to those who regularly eat breakfast, those who regularly skip it faced a 21 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease events or death, with a 32 percent higher risk of all-cause death.
Another study revealed that, after adjusting for factors such as age, sex, and race, compared to those who eat breakfast every day, those who never eat breakfast had a 75 percent higher risk of all-cause mortality, a 158 percent higher risk of cardiovascular mortality, a 134 percent higher risk of heart disease-specific mortality, and a 253 percent higher risk of stroke-specific mortality.
The researchers believe that the reason skipping breakfast can lead to cardiometabolic abnormalities and even death may be attributed to several mechanisms:
- Firstly, skipping breakfast affects appetite and satiety, potentially resulting in excessive eating later in the day and impaired insulin sensitivity. In contrast, eating breakfast is beneficial for appetite regulation and can improve glycemic response at the next meal.
- Secondly, skipping breakfast translates to a longer fasting period, which can lead to overactivity in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This, in turn, results in elevated blood pressure in the morning. Eating breakfast, on the other hand, helps lower blood pressure, thereby preventing blood vessel clogging, hemorrhage, and cardiovascular disease events.
- Thirdly, skipping breakfast negatively impacts lipid levels, leading to higher total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, which are independent risk factors for atherosclerosis.
- Fourthly, skipping breakfast may be a sign of unhealthy lifestyle habits.
4 Tips for a Healthy Breakfast
Harvard Medical School listed four breakfast tips on its website to help people start their day with energy:
- Opt for whole grains: High-fiber whole grains and bread help maintain blood sugar balance. Hundreds of grain breakfast products are on the market, with high-fiber bran cereal and steel-cut oatmeal often being the healthiest choices. When choosing breakfast cereals, it is essential to read the nutrition label. Ideally, each serving should contain over 0.18 ounce (5 grams) of fiber, sodium content should be less than 0.01 ounce (300 milligrams), and sugar content should be less than 0.18 ounce (5 grams).
- Include protein: Yogurt is a good option, especially Greek yogurt, which has a higher protein content. Eggs are also rich in protein, and healthy individuals can eat one a day without worrying about cholesterol issues. You can also choose foods rich in healthy fats, such as nuts or salmon.
- Try to have breakfast at home: There are few healthy breakfast options at fast-food chains, with oatmeal being one of the few exceptions. Like most processed foods, the breakfasts at fast-food chains typically contain excessive refined carbohydrates, saturated fats, and salt and are low in dietary fiber.
- Blend everything into a smoothie: The simplest breakfast recipe is to mix fruits, yogurt, juice, wheat germ, and tofu, then mix them in a blender to make a smoothie. You can also add some ice to create a smoothie bowl for a refreshing and nutritious breakfast.
