Nutrition
Adults who skip morning meal likely to miss out on nutrients
In the journals
Your mother probably said breakfast is the day’s most important meal and a new study suggests why she might have been right.
Researchers examined the nutritional data and eating habits of more than 30,000 adults. Those who regularly skip breakfast miss getting vital nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin C, and fiber found in typical breakfast foods like fortified cereal, fruit, and milk. They also are less likely to get the recommended daily amounts of folate, iron, and vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, and D.
The study found that breakfast skippers had an overall lower-quality diet compared with those who always eat breakfast. They also were more likely to snack during the day and consume higher amounts of added sugars, carbohydrates, and total fat.
The results were published online April 30, 2021, by Proceedings of the Nutrition Society.
Image: Dean Mitchell/Getty Images
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.