The April 2017 edition of "AARP magazine," has an article that suggests skipping breakfast might increase the risk of Heart Disease. In "The right time for mealtime," Candy Sadon quotes recent scientific studies from the "American Heart Association," journal entitled "Circulation." Information in the journal suggests that missing the first meal of the day is an important factor in heart health.
Why breakfast is important
The scientists who did the study concluded that our bodies metabolize food differently, based on different times of the day. Their research indicated that people who eat breakfast within 2 hours of walking have lower cholesterol and Blood Pressure when compared with individuals who skip breakfast.
Both blood pressure and cholesterol, are risk factors for heart disease. The scientists also found that people who don't eat the first daily meal, have a higher risk for being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.
Looking at the entire picture
The professionals who did this study have not yet researched other healthy habits of breakfast eaters, which may lead to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. For this reason, they stopped short of declaring breakfast as the most important meal of the day. Even so, they stand by their research and recommend that the morning meal not be put off until later in the day. Those who regularly wait until brunch should take note.
This is not the only study to suggest the connection between heart health and the first meal of the day.
Marie Pierre St. Onge, is a nutrition researcher at Columbia University Medical Center. She led the group who wrote the guidelines regarding missing the first meal of the day. St. Onge believes that the timing of when we eat is just as important as what we eat. She added that population studies show that breakfast eaters typically weigh less than those who don't eat the first meal of the day.
She gave as her reasons the fact that our bodies process sugars differently at night than they do in the daytime. The conclusion is that heavier individuals have higher risk for factors that lead to heart disease.
Plan ahead
Samantha Heller, a nutritionist at Langone Medical University in New York, was not a part of this research but she weighed in.
She says that thinking ahead and planning meals can be very important. This will help individuals make better choices in what they eat throughout the day. Although this information is not foolproof, the guidelines are beneficial and certainly will make a difference. Eating a healthy breakfast certainly will not bring adverse effects to our health. There is the possibility that missing it just might.
