Skipping breakfast might increase the cardiovascular risk
(Mirror Daily, United States) – Many people usually skip breakfast, as they are often in a hurry and have to rush to work. However, science shows us this is a really bad idea, as they put themselves at many risks when they do that. A recent research found evidence that skipping breakfast might lead to the development of cardiovascular problems, emphasizing the idea that this is the most important meal of the day.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day
For this study, researchers took 4,052 people with no history of cardiovascular diseases who worked in a bank. When they were first interviewed, they had to give a detailed account of everything they had eaten for the past 15 days, and the hours at which they had those meals. Then, they measured their cholesterol levels, body mass index, and asked them if they were smokers or not, and how active they were on a daily basis.
Afterwards, they used advanced scans to measure the levels of fat deposits on their arteries, and noticed something interesting. Those who declared skipping breakfast were at a higher risk of developing heart problems than those who consumed 20 percent of the daily intake of calories in the morning.
The lifestyle associated with skipping breakfast might be to blame for the high disease risk
This connection remained viable even after the researchers accounted for other risk factors, such as smoking. About 75 percent of those who skipped breakfast had a condition which usually preceded atherosclerosis, namely some small deposits of fat on the arteries.
However, researchers noticed some other things as well. Those who skipped breakfast led more unhealthy lifestyles. They were more likely to smoke, drink alcohol, and eat unhealthy foods throughout the day. Therefore, it might not be the meal itself which increases the heart disease risk, but this lifestyle which is associated with it.
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