Skipping breakfast is more likely to gain weight and have larger waists, according to a U.S. study published online recently.
The study, led by Kevin Smith from Mayo Clinic in the United States, shows that 26.7 percent of people who skipped breakfast were obese, compared with 10.9 percent of those who ate it frequently.
Besides, those who never ate breakfast self-reported the greatest weight gain over the past year, said the study titled "Frequency of Breakfast Consumption, Obesity and Weight Gain."
The study traced the breakfast habits of 347 people from 2005 to 2017. The subjects, aged from 18 to 87, were measured for their height, weight, waist and hip circumference.
Participants, who needed to have the same breakfast routine for two or more years, reported their frequency of breakfast. They were coded as "infrequent" if they had breakfast one to four times a week, and "frequent" if they had it five to seven times a week.
The study also found that those who missed their breakfast had an average waist of 97.5 cm, 9.8 cm larger than those who had it five to seven times a week, even when age, gender and body mass were considered.
"Infrequent breakfast consumption is associated with indices of central obesity and weight gain, with these associations being more evident in individuals who never eat breakfast," the study said.
"Our findings on healthy adults are consistent with prior observations in the young, corroborating the concept that regular consumption of this meal is an important and independent contributor of healthy weight at all ages," it added.
