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Breakfast and meal planning can prevent heart disease

Wednesday 1st February 2017
Never skipping breakfast and planning other meals can help to prevent a persons risk of heart disease, according to new research. Image: bhofack2 via iStock
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Eating breakfast every day alongside planning other meals and snacks can help to significantly reduce a person's risk of developing heart disease or suffering a stroke, according to a new study.

Research carried out by scientists at the American Heart Association involved the analysis of a number of previous studies on diet and heart disease - some of which featured animals and some humans - which led to several interesting conclusions.

The researchers found that people who regularly skip breakfast are typically between 20 and 30 per cent more likely to be obese, placing them at greater risk of the development of cardiovascular problems.

In addition, individuals who failed to eat breakfast every day tended to show more evidence of impaired glucose metabolism, which is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, while their blood pressure and cholesterol levels were also much higher on average.

Eating breakfast wasn't the only factor that doctors found could lower heart disease and diabetes risk, as it could be seen that planning to eat regular meals at set times each day also helped to lower the risk of obesity onset. This was particularly the case if meals were based around fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and lean meat and were low in salt, saturated fats and added sugars.

Study author Marie-Pierre St-Onge explained: "Meal timing may affect health due to its impact on the body's internal clock. In animal studies, it appears that when animals receive food while in an inactive phase, such as when they are sleeping, their internal clocks are reset in a way that can alter nutrient metabolism, resulting in greater weight gain, insulin resistance and inflammation."

However, she added that further research is needed before this can officially be stated as a fact for humans as well. In the meantime, dieticians may wish to advise their patients to follow the dietary tips outlined in the study regardless, as they provide the basis of a healthy lifestyle.

Written by Martin Lambert

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