12 Things That Happen to Your Body When You Skip Breakfast

You have a greater risk of heart disease

Some 31 million Americans are breakfast skippers, studies show. Some are trying to
cut calories, some are too busy during the morning rush, and others say they just don’t
feel hungry. But despite some reports, the research overwhelmingly shows that eating a
good breakfast is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. A study from Harvard
University found that men who skipped breakfast had a 27 percent greater risk of heart
attack or heart disease than those who dug in. Although they haven’t pinpointed a direct
cause, researchers suspect that remaining in a fasting state for longer is stressful and
makes the body work harder, causing metabolic changes. “The changes in hormones to
help maintain blood sugar levels and the trend toward weight gain in patients who skip
breakfast has been linked to heart disease,” says Christian J. Gastelum, MD, an
endocrinologist at PIH Health in Whittier, California. These changes lead to plaque
buildup in the arteries, upping your chances of heart problems.

You’re more likely to get diabetes

Skipping that bowl of oatmeal or yogurt parfait could mess with your blood sugar.
Another Harvard study found that women who regularly didn’t eat breakfast had a 20
percent increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. “Skipping the morning meal is
linked with impaired glucose tolerance and that is further associated with the
development of prediabetes and diabetes,” Dr. Gastelum says. The theory is the
irregular blood sugar spikes that occur when we fast for a long time and then eat a lot
because we’re hungry put a strain on the body, which can lead to insulin resistance. If
you have diabetes, here are the breakfast rules all diabetics should follow

Your metabolism may slow down

When you skip meals, your body stops working as fast in order to conserve fuel. “The
body will slow its basal metabolic rate to compensate for calorie restriction,” Dr.
Gastelum says. Plus, in the morning your metabolism has already been slow during
sleep. “Prolonged fasting will further reduce the body’s willingness to burn calories and
impact the amount of adipose [fat] tissue that’s lost.” Although the results of a recent
study dispute this thinking, the same research also showed more calories burned during
morning exercise, as well as more stable blood sugar later in the day, when the
participants ate breakfast. So, the morning meal does seem to have an impact on the
body’s metabolic processes.
Your energy will dip
Another reason skipping breakfast is linked to weight gain is that you have less energy
for working out. If you’re feeling sluggish, you’re not going to want to hit the gym—
and if you do, you may poop out in the middle of your session. Plus, once you finish a
morning workout you’ll need to eat to refuel—so to get through the morning with a
workout and no breakfast will leave you extra drained. According to information from
the University of Wisconsin, breakfast should give you 25 percent of your daily
energy, including high fiber and protein for fuel. If you don’t have time to cook eggs or
make oatmeal, have a quick protein shake. Try some of these high-protein breakfast
ideas.

Your breath stinks

Wait, how can not eating foods that could potentially give you bad breath still leave you
with bad breath? U.S. News and World Report explains that eating breakfast stimulates
saliva production and helps scrub your tongue of bacteria, which can make your
morning breath more tolerable. Skipping breakfast ensures that stinky bacteria continue
to thrive in your mouth. Dr. Mervyn Druian of the London Centre for Cosmetic
Dentistry told DailyMail.comthat the best fresh fruit and a glass of water is the most
effective breakfast for washing away that bacteria.

Your cortisol levels may increase

A 2014 study done by researchers at the University of California, Davis, showed that

women who skipped breakfast had higher cortisol levels during various tests throughout
the day than women who are breakfast, and the “skippers” also had higher blood
pressure readings. What’s more, women in both groups reported feeling similar amounts
of chronic stress, regardless of their actual cortisol levels. Researchers believe that the
combination of skipping breakfast and experiencing chronic stress could increase one’s
risk for cardiometabolic syndrome. Just make sure you avoid the 15 breakfast foods
everyone should stop eating.

You could develop chronic inflammation

In a small 2017 study, researchers at the University of Hohenheim in Germany took
three-days’ worth of blood samples from 17 healthy adults. On one day, they skipped
breakfast; on another, they skipped dinner; and on yet another, they ate three normal
meals. After comparing the samples, researchers found that people who skipped
breakfast had higher glucose concentrations and increased fat oxidation, meaning their
bodies broke down more stored fat. Because of this, the study suggests that people who
skip breakfast may develop metabolic inflexibility, meaning their bodies would have
difficulty switching their source of fuel from glucose to fat, and vice versa. In the long-
term, this could lead to chronic inflammation and potentially raise their risk of type 2
diabetes and obesity.

Your periods may get worse

Ladies, it may be in your best interest to make time for breakfast every morning. A 2009
studyconducted by Japanese researchers analyzed the eating habits of 315 female
college students. The students who didn’t eat breakfast had poor general health, painful
period cramps, and higher incidents of irregular periods. Don’t miss these food hacks
for a healthier breakfast.