How Can Eating Breakfast Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease?

American College of Cardiology published new research reporting that skipping breakfast increases the risk of atherosclerosis (fatty deposits and hardening of arteries) and is associated with arterial hardening and narrowing due to plaque buildup.

A healthy breakfast appears very important for heart health, including maintaining an ideal weight and cholesterol level.

Researchers believe people who do not habitually eat breakfast generally have an unhealthy lifestyle. This study offered evidence of how changing this unhealthy habit could reduce cardiovascular disease risk.

The study examined 4.052 male and female volunteers in Madrid without cardiovascular or chronic kidney disease. Breakfast energy intake was compared as a percentage of total daily energy intake. %2.9 skipped breakfast, %69.4 ate a low-energy breakfast and %27.7 ate a normal breakfast.

Atherosclerosis, known as hardening of the arteries, was more common in people who skipped breakfast or ate a low-energy breakfast that could be described as a token meal.

Cardiometabolic risk indicators were also more common in people eating a low-energy breakfast or skipping it than in regular breakfast eaters.

People who skipped breakfast had a waist circumference that was larger, and their body mass index, blood pressure, blood lipids and fasting glucose level. People who skipped breakfast were found to have less healthy lifestyles and greater susceptibility to hypertension and obesity. These findings highlight that people wishing to lose weight should particularly avoid skipping breakfast.

With %20-30 of people skipping breakfast, it can be said that obesity risk and cardiometabolic abnormalities are becoming more widespread. The breakfast habit should be established early in life. Skipping breakfast in children also increases childhood obesity risk. Missing breakfast leads to eating more and less healthy foods later in the day. It may cause hormonal imbalances and adversely affect the circadian rhythm . This research has once again highlighted the importance of breakfast.