Skipping breakfast increases diabetes risk

A small study led by Dr. Elizabeth Thomas, a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado, showed that when overweight women skipped breakfast, they developed insulin resistance. When this occurred, they needed more insulin for blood sugar to return to normal levels. According to the study, the participants' insulin resistance was short-lived. But if this disorder becomes chronic, it becomes a risk factor for diabetes. Being overweight, in itself, constitutes another risk factor.

For this reason, having a healthy breakfast every day can be beneficial for your health. It not only helps you lose weight, but by helping your body better control insulin, it helps you avoid type 2 diabetes. In the mentioned study, only nine women were examined, who had an average age of 29 years. All were overweight or obese.

Researchers measured the insulin levels and blood sugar levels of participants on two different days after lunch. One day, the women had eaten breakfast; another day, they had skipped breakfast. Normally, glucose (sugar) levels rise after eating, which in turn triggers insulin production. This process helps cells absorb glucose and convert it into energy.

However, the levels of glucose and insulin after lunch were much higher on the day the participants skipped breakfast than on the day they had breakfast. The explanation, according to Thomas, is that when participants did not have breakfast, they needed a higher level of insulin to process the same food.

There was a 28% increase in the insulin response and a 12% increase in the glucose response after skipping breakfast. This represents a slight increase in glucose and a moderate increase in insulin. The results of this study should be considered preliminary. Experts say the study does not prove causality, but it did find a relationship between skipping breakfast and increased insulin levels. It is also unknown whether the effect is short-term or long-term. More research is still needed to verify the results.

In any case, skipping any meal is not recommended, nor is eating very frequently or snacking. According to other studies conducted in Europe, a substantial meal in the middle of the day is better than a substantial meal at dinner time. But if due to your habits or schedule, the European eating pattern isn't convenient for you, the ideal is to have a good breakfast in the morning, a good lunch in the middle of the day, and a light dinner.

However, if you want to reap all the benefits of a good daily breakfast, there are other measures you should take in conjunction. If you're overweight, the most important thing, of course, is to ensure you consume a healthy diet to reach a healthy weight based on your age and physical condition. But while you’re working towards your desired weight, don’t skip breakfast. And if you pair it with a good walk or another exercise your doctor recommends, that's even better. You will decrease your chances of developing diabetes or improve its control if you are already diabetic.