Missing out on breakfast increases the risk of a heart attack
or chronic kidney disease. Of the 4,052 participants, three per cent skipped breakfast, 69 per cent were “low-energy” breakfast consumers and 28 per cent were breakfast consumers.
Atherosclerosis was more frequent in those who skipped breakfast and also higher in those who had low-energy breakfasts.
Participants who skipped breakfast had the greatest waist circumference, body mass index, blood pressure, blood lipids and fasting glucose levels.
Further findings, published in Journal Of The American College Of Cardiology, showed participants who skipped breakfast were more likely to have an overall unhealthy lifestyle – including poor diet, frequent alcohol consumption and smoking.
Dr Jose Penalvo, the study’s co-senior author, said: “Our findings are important for health professionals and might be used as a simple message for lifestyle-based interventions and public health strategies, as well as informing dietary recommendations and guidelines.”
Dr Prakash Deedwania, professor of medicine at the University of California, said: “That breakfast is the most important meal of the day has been proven right in light of this evidence.
“Poor dietary choices are generally made relatively early in life.
“If they remain unchanged they can lead to clinical cardiovascular disease later on. Adverse effects of skipping breakfast can be seen early in childhood in the form of obesity. Although breakfastskippers are generally trying to lose weight, they often end up eating more, and unhealthy foods later in the day.”