Skipping Breakfast Could Increase the Risk of Heart Disease
Based on U.K. statistics, cardiovascular disease is one of the major causes of death and disability. It is often accompanied with atherosclerosis, a formation of fat inside the arteries.
A new study found out that people whose breakfast contain only less than 5 percent of the recommended daily calorie intake, which is 100 for a daily intake of 2,000 calorie, have twice the number of atherosclerotic plaques than those who eat a high-energy breakfast.
In a report published at the Journal of American College of Cardiology (JACC), the importance of eating breakfast for the heart was confirmed, and the researchers claimed that the findings could have a significant effect for public health.
During the said research, some 4,000 middle-aged office employees were analyzed. The researchers monitored the occurrence and progression of atherosclerotic plaques – fatty formations in the arterial walls that first appear at a young age, but do not produce any symptoms during the early age.
In fact, people with atherosclerosis usually don’t know that they have it until they eventually get symptoms such as angina, heart attack or stroke.
Out of the 4,000 participants, 20 percent of them ate a high-energy breakfast, giving more than 20 percent of the recommended daily calorie intake, while around 70 percent of the participants ate a low-energy breakfast, providing between 5 and 20 percent of the recommended daily calorie intake. Meanwhile, some 3 percent of them either totally skipped breakfast or ate very little in the morning.
Those 3 percent usually spent only less than five minutes on eating breakfast, having only coffee or fruit juice, or skipped breakfast totally.
Based on their ultrasound, it was discovered that participants who skipped breakfast has 1.5 times more atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries than those who regularly ate high-energy breakfast.
In addition, in some areas of the heart, the number of plaques was 2.5 times higher in participants who skipped breakfast or ate very little.
In fact, in a statement released by one of the leas researchers, Irina Uzhova, she claimed that those people who skipped breakfast were also possibly to have unhealthy lifestyle habits.
Moreover, in a statement released by a senior dietician at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), Tracy Parker, she claimed:
“Coronary heart disease is one of the UK’s biggest killers, and extensive research has already shown that skipping breakfast may increase your risk of this devastating condition. This study is yet another reminder that it’s not only what we eat, but when we eat it that affects our risk.. Worryingly as many as one in five adults in the UK don’t eat breakfast every day. Studies like this should serve as good food for thought for those wanting to skip breakfast, and inspire us all to eat a healthy meal to kick-start our day and maintain a healthy heart.”
Dieticians claimed that high-energy breakfast consists of cup of coffee, milk or yogurt, fruits and whole wheat bread like tomato and olive oil.