Skipping breakfast? It could harm your mood, metabolism and wellbeing

Recent research links late-morning meals with higher risks of depression, fatigue, and accelerated biological ageing among older adults

‘The first meal sets the tone for the rest of your day’ is a widely used phrase. Recent research suggests that the timing of your breakfast may be just as important as its content. A study published in the journal Communications Medicine found that eating later in the morning has been linked to negative effects on mental wellbeing, metabolism, and oral health.

 

Breakfast study overview 

In the study titled, Meal timing trajectories in older adults and their associations with morbidity, genetic profiles, and mortality, researchers looked at health data from almost 3,000 adults in the UK, aged 42 to 94, who were part of the University of Manchester longitudinal study of cognition in normal healthy old age. 

 

Participants reported on their meal timing and health habits, and were tracked over a period of more than 20 years, providing valuable insights into the long-term effects of breakfast timing on overall health.

 

“The timing of when we eat, known more commonly now as chrononutrition, has recently been recognised as an important factor that influences metabolism, sleep, and overall health. Most studies, however, have focused on younger adults or night-shift workers,” explained Hassan Dashti, lead author of the study. He is also a clinical nutrition scientist and circadian biologist at Massachusetts General Hospital.

 

So far, little is known about meal timing in older adults and how changes in meal timing affect long-term health, Dashti said. “Our study aimed to address this gap by examining decades of data on meal timing in older adults and its relationship with long-term health,” he added.

 

Key findings of the study 

The study revealed several important effects of breakfast timing: 

Mental health and energy: People who ate breakfast later were more likely to feel fatigued and show signs of depression, suggesting that an early meal helps stabilise mood and energy levels. 

Long-term health: Early breakfast eaters had a slightly better 10-year survival rate than late eaters - about 90 per cent compared with 87 per cent, indicating that when you eat may influence long-term health. 

Oral and metabolic health: Delaying breakfast can disrupt digestion and oral hygiene, while regular early meals support metabolism and overall wellbeing.  “In our analysis, we found that a range of illnesses were often linked to eating breakfast later in the day,” shared Hassan.

 

Having depression, anxiety, fatigue, or poor oral health may make it harder for older adults to eat earlier, which can shift overall meal timing patterns, and particularly the timing of breakfast. As such, “Later breakfast timing could serve as a marker of underlying health problems, providing doctors and caregivers with a simple, additional signal of declining health over time,” he said.

 

The researchers noted that the next steps will include testing whether adjusting meal timing can directly improve health and longevity in older adults. They emphasised that additional randomized trials and studies will be essential to confirm and expand these findings.

 

Practical tips from the study 

Aim for an early breakfast: Ideally within two hours of waking.

 

Include protein and fibre: Eggs, whole grains, fruits, and yoghurt can keep you energised.

 

Avoid sugary rush: A breakfast heavy on sugar can spike blood sugar and affect mood later.

 

Consistency matters: Eating breakfast at a similar time daily helps regulate your body clock.

   

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