skipping breakfast may well be extremely bad for your health, From Saga Magazine, 2026 02 19

[Colin Howard]

Greetings,

I am a firm believer in having a decent breakfast, in terms of this article,
it seems I am enjoying the best, because I mostly have porridge with whole
milk and fruit, or Dorset Simply Nutty muesli with fruit juice such as
orange and natural yoghurt with no added sugar, or Weetabix with fruit and
whole milk. I rarely have much else as a bowl of said mixture usually
enables me to last until lunch time around 12:30-13:00. I also most days
have my breakfast around 7:00, have enjoyed it earlier and later, but try
and keep to around 7:00-ish.

I first on getting up usually not much after five, having visited the loo,
go down stairs and take my blood sugar reading, as I am a type 2 diabetic, I
usually have a piece of fruit such as a banana or orange or pear with which
I take my diabetic medication, then partake of a mug of strong tea, again,
with whole milk and no sugar.

With conflicting advice about when and if to eat breakfast, we ask the
experts to separate the fact from the fiction about the first meal of the
day.
By Emma Lazenby | Published - 10 Feb 2026

Do you struggle to muster up an appetite in the mornings? Or perhaps you
always wake up famished?

If you fall into the breakfast-skipping camp, you're not alone. A YouGov
poll found almost half of us miss out on a morning meal, often by choice.

This could be down to calorie-counting and the rise of the
intermittent-fasting trend. It might be due to a busy morning schedule NOT
allowING for breakfast, or even simply not being hungry until later.

But starting the day off on an empty stomach might actually be harming our
health and we could be missing a golden opportunity to boost our bodies and
brains.

Some of the world's healthiest nations such as Finland and Japan treat
breakfast as a daily ritual and they boast low obesity and cardiovascular
disease rates, along with longer life expectancy.

Can skipping breakfast be bad for our health, particularly as we age?

Nutritionist, journalist and broadcaster Amanda Ursell is a breakfast
advocate. She explains: "As we grow older, we tend to need less energy
(measured in kilo calories) to maintain a constant body weight and yet we
need the same, if not more, fibre, vitamins and minerals."
Nutrient deficit

She says we simply cannot meet our full dietary intake with lunch and dinner
alone. "Breakfast, put simply, provides a great opportunity to keep the
nutritional value of our diets topped up."

Indeed, a Cambridge University study linked nutrient gaps and a less healthy
diet overall to those who frequently skipped a morning food fix.

Ursell adds: "And when it comes to protein, we know a 'three meals a day'
approach, which spreads intakes regularly throughout the day from breakfast
onwards, optimises the ongoing building and repair of our muscles, which is
crucial to healthy ageing."

Missed hydration?

We also risk missing out on desperately-needed morning hydration, which
often accompanies our first meal of the day.

"Having breakfast is also an opportunity to drink," says Ursell.

"Tea, coffee, fruit juice and smoothies all boost fluid intakes at a stage
in life when our thirst sensation is less acute and we can easily become
dehydrated without realising.

"Drinking at breakfast time and staying hydrated throughout the day can help
concentration and lower the risk of confusion, urinary tract infections and
light-headedness, which in turn lowers the risk of falls."
Heart and brain health risks

In terms of the more serious health complaints wich could manifest from
missing breakfast over long periods of time, a study of 118,000 adults found
an increased risk of higher blood pressure and cholesterol, raised blood
sugar and a link to obesity.

Later eaters are more likely to over-indulge at lunch and dinner and reach
for ultra-processed snacks, along with consuming more sugar and saturated
fat overall, the study stated.

After the overnight fast of bedtime, our blood sugar is low and our bodies
and minds crave glucose to prevent energy crashes, brain fog, irritability
and headaches which can kick in when our depleted stores drop even further
when we fail to fuel ourselves.

Why is breakfast so important in later life?

Despite popular opinion turning against "the most important meal of the day"
with the rise of the intermittent fasting craze, we have some very good news
for loyal breakfast lovers.

No matter the size of your morning snack or feast, you will reap a host of
surprising health benefits.

Pancreatic support?

Ursell explains the link between blood sugar control and healthy pancreatic
function when we take the time to enjoy a morning meal. "Scientists from
Tufts University in Boston report regularly how eating a healthy breakfast
is associated with improved blood sugar control, while skipping it is linked
with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes," she says.

Ursell adds: "And when it comes to protein, we know a 'three meals a day'
approach, which spreads intakes regularly throughout the day from breakfast
onwards, optimises the ongoing building and repair of our muscles, which is
crucial to healthy ageing."

"Good blood sugar control is particularly important in later life when the
function of the pancreas begins to decline. If tucking into a healthy
breakfast can support our pancreas in warding off or better managing type 2
diabetes, it seems a really tangible reason to adopt and maintain the
morning habit."

Mary Merheim, nutrition consultant and author of Navigating Nutrition in
Later Life, agrees and re-iterates the importance of the physical safety
benefits of a daily breakfast as we age: "Bringing our blood sugar levels
back up can prevent light headedness and reduce the likelihood of a trip or
fall."

Healthier hearts

Several studies have reported an association between regular breakfast
consumption and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. The most intensive
research paper looked at 6,550 adults aged between 40 and 75 over six years
and followed them up over a 17-to-23-year period. The study concluded,
skipping breakfast was associated with a significantly increased risk of
mortality from cardiovascular disease and supported the benefits of eating
breakfast in promoting overall cardiovascular health.

"It seems likely such an impact comes from a porridge and fruit style start
to the day rather than a full fry up," Ursell notes. "The latter is
inherently high in saturated fat and as Diane McKay, assistant professor at
the Friedman School of Nutrition and Science Policy, also part of Tufts
University explains, our liver also becomes less efficient as we age.

"This makes this vital organ less able to process fats we eat in our diet,
while potentially increasing its production of 'bad' LDL cholesterol, which
can increase risk of strokes and heart attacks."

Better brain function

Breakfast is a true "brain food" indeed and offers a wealth of benefits to
all-round cognitive function. A Public Health England review found
"convincing evidence, consuming breakfast, compared to skipping breakfast,
has positive impacts on short-term cognition and memory".

Our morning mealtime not only offers fuel to our neurons but also stabilises
brain chemistry and aligns our body clocks.

Ursell highlights the evidence linking healthy brains to breakfast in later
life: "Research published last year in the Journal of Nutrition Health and
Ageing reveals regular breakfast consumption is positively associated with
cognitive function in adults aged 55 years and above.

"Previous research from Kindai University in Japan meanwhile revealed better
cognitive scores in breakfast eaters who ate significantly more vegetables,
fruits and fish compared with breakfast skippers indicating it is not just
eating breakfast which helps brain power, but what we eat as well."

What's the best time to eat breakfast?

Scientists and nutritionists agree that the earlier, the better.

"Recent research from scientists at Harvard University shows, later
breakfast times were consistently associated with fatigue, depression and
worse sleeping patterns in older people compared with those managing to eat
their first meal of the day earlier on," says Ursell.

"Obviously, we all have our own morning routines, but a rule of thumb could
be not to let breakfast drift into becoming an early lunch."

Merheim advises: "We all get up at different times, so exact timing in the
day is less important than spreading our eating throughout the day. Many
people wake up early so having something ready or easy to prepare whatever
'first thing' means to you is a good idea."

What if we're not hungry when we wake up?

Many of us just can't face food when we rise, but even reaching for
something small and light can work wonders.

"Try to eat something for breakfast like a little full fat yogurt with some
fruit," advises Merheim. "This will give you a kick start. Always have
healthy snacks on hand. A bit of cheese, some nuts or fruit to graze on are
a good idea."

Don't forget to hydrate, she says: "Drink well throughout the day. Have tea
or coffee with whole milk, a herbal tea or a smoothie now and then. But I
know it's tricky sometimes to keep a balance between drinking enough and not
filling yourself up when appetite is low."

Ursell adds: "I understand, eating first thing can be challenging but the
benefits of breakfast are compelling for our physical and mental wellBeing
as we age and even if we need an hour or so to feel like eating after
waking, there is growing evidence, it is worth trying to create and continue
a healthy breakfast habit.

It's a wonderful opportunity to bring in foods we might miss out on later in
the day, such as dairy products like milk and yogurt, whole grains and
fruits and vegetables."

Breakfast inspiration from our experts

Amanda Ursell's favourites

Banana overnight oats

"The oats and bananas give us slow-release energy and the banana also
adds potassium, which we need for blood pressure control. Nut butters and
almonds provide the antioxidant vitamin E and protein. I leave out the maple
syrup and add extra yogurt to up the protein and calcium which we need for
helping to maintain the health of our muscles and bones."

Folded omelette

"There is nothing like Delia Smith's simple recipe. Eggs are famously
great for protein and two to three egg omelette certainly packs a protein
punch. But more than this, eggs contain a vitamin-like nutrient called
choline and the yellow pigment lutein, which are both important for our
brain health.

"Emerging research even suggests frequent egg consumption may improve
cognitive performance in verbal tests. And of course you can add
health-boosting ingredients like tomatoes, onions, peppers and mushrooms to
omelettes, which help us to reach our target of five a day of fruit and
vegetables."

Humble beans on toast
"If you want something nutritious, filling and simple, then baked beans
on toast is a fantastic way to start the day and boost your fibre,
especially if you use wholemeal toast.

"The soluble fibre in the baked beans (which count as one of your five a
day of fruit and vegetables as well as providing protein), can help to lower
cholesterol, while the fibre in the wholemeal bread will move into our large
intestine, where it can feed 'good' bacteria and boost all the benefits that
come from healthy microbes thriving in our gut."

Mary Merheim's top breakfast picks

Overnight oats with nuts and fruit

"The easiest way to add protein, fibre, vitamins and good fats to your
diet. Put some oats in the bottom of a jam jar or bowl. Mix in a full fat
yogurt or kefir (or a bit of both). Add frozen fruit like strawberries,
bananas and blueberries; frozen fruit is often softer, sweeter and easier to
eat than fresh.

"Top with some nuts or seeds. or add a spoonful of nut butter such as
almond or cashew and a drizzle of honey. Pop it in the fridge overnight and
it will be good to eat for the next few days."

Eggs with benefits

"Eggs have all the nutrients needed to create a fully functioning chick.
Scrambled is easy on the stove or in the microwave and means you can add
whole (and dried) milk to boost the protein more. Omelettes are just fried,
unstirred scrambled eggs but you can add more goodness with fresh or frozen
onions, peppers and mushrooms as well as cheese and meat."

Written by: Emma Lazenby

Emma Lazenby is entering her third decade in journalism, after starting her
reporting career on the Yorkshire Evening Post as a teenager.
She's loved every minute, with contributions to the Sun, Daily Telegraph and
women's magazines, between stints as a Lifestyle Editor for the Press
Association and TV Producer for GMTV and Steph's Packed Lunch.
Emma has covered mental and physical health, charity campaigns, fashion and
beauty, travel, food and parenting with celebrity and inspirational
real-life interviews featuring heavily.

Colin Howard, living in Southern England.