Skipping Breakfast Increases Heart Disease Risk

What the research found

New research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology has found that there is an increased risk of heart disease on those who regularly miss the first meal of the day.

Those who skip breakfast are twice as likely to die from heart disease, compared to those who eat earlier in the day. Skipping breakfast can increase the risk of heart disease related illness such as a heart attack or stroke.

Inside the 18-year study

The study measured data from 6,000 participants aged between 40 and 75. The participants had no history of cancer or cardiovascular disease. Those who said they did not eat breakfast were found to have an 87% higher risk of death from a cardiovascular-related disease. This is compared to those who ate breakfast every day.

Skipping breakfast may not necessarily be the issue, but is typically seen as a ‘behavioural marker’ for those with unhealthy lifestyle habits. Those who skip breakfast may have a harmful or inactive lifestyle. Furthermore, skipping breakfast can cause appetite changes, changes in cholesterol levels and higher blood pressure.

Over 18 years of the study, one-third of participants died. There was no link between eating breakfast and dying overall. The study was completed by the University of Iowa and peer-reviewed by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The takeaway

It is recommended that people not only enjoy breakfast regularly as part of a healthy lifestyle, but also make their breakfast a high-quality, nutritious meal.

Need to see someone? You can search Sanitas cardiologists by area to find a cardiologist near you.