Study finds skipping breakfast once a week may increase risk of type 2 diabetes

Breakfast – the most important meal of the day, or so the saying goes, just got elevated to a higher status thanks to a recent review.  It appears that if you are in the habit of skipping breakfast, you may be setting yourself up to develop type 2 diabetes.  This is concerning as a survey from the NPD Group reported that 1 in 10 Americans regularly skip breakfast and type 2 diabetes is already at epidemic proportions.

A review published in November 2018 in The Journal of Nutrition, looked at a total of six studies involving over 96,000 people.  Out of this number, 5,000 individuals had already been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. What the German researchers found was that those who skipped breakfast for just one day of the week had an association of a 6 percent higher risk of developing diabetes. And the risk increased with each additional day, peaking at a 55 percent higher risk of diabetes after skipping breakfast for four to five days each week.

One factor also looked at was whether a person’s weight had anything to do with skipping breakfast.  Having obesity is a well-established risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes and obese people are more likely to skip breakfast than people of normal weight.  But this study found that people of any weight – normal to obese – who did not eat breakfast still had a higher likelihood of developing diabetes.

The study also pointed out that the elevated diabetes risk for breakfast skippers may be linked to other unhealthy lifestyle behaviors.  People who tend to skip breakfast are more likely to smoke, be less physically active and drink more alcohol.

Why does eating breakfast matter for diabetes?

There are very few people who have not heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  The word itself when broken down – “break the fast” – literally means to eat something upon waking after several hours of sleep. 

Why is this important?  Think of it like this, if you have a roaring fire going in a fireplace when you go to bed at night, but then no wood is added during the night to keep the fire going, in the morning the fire will have significantly burned out. To get the fire going again, you need to add more wood to it.  The same concept can be applied to your body. Eating breakfast jump-starts your body’s metabolism and changes the way it uses sugar. Rather than storing sugar in fat cells, the body begins using it for energy. As this sugar passes through the blood, the pancreas begins secreting the hormone insulin, which regulates blood sugar.  Throughout your day, these processes make it easier for you to manage your appetite and hunger levels all day long.

Skipping breakfast has also been linked to increased levels of cholesterol and inflammation of the blood, which can make the body more resistant to insulin and derail the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar.

Other benefits of eating breakfast

Eating breakfast daily has many other benefits besides reducing your risk for type 2 diabetes.  Other scientific studies, such as one published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, has suggested that young people who eat breakfast regularly tend to make healthier food choices throughout the day and have better weight control than those who don’t, thereby reducing their risk of diabetes. Plus, the American Heart Association states that eating breakfast lowers the risk of heart disease, blood vessel diseases and stroke.  

What does a healthy breakfast look like?

When planning for breakfast, choose a well-balance meal that high in fiber, protein, and low in added sugars and processed meats such as sausage or bacon. Combining a moderate carb food with a lean protein and vegetables, such as Greek yogurt with blueberries, chopped nuts, and chia seeds, is a good example of this.  Other healthy breakfast ideas could be oatmeal with milk and fruit or a veggie omelet with a side of whole grain toast. Meals such as these will keep you fuller longer and are a great way to combine the perfect balance of carbohydrates, protein and fresh produce.