Skipping breakfast risky for the heart

LONDON - A new study shows that leaving the house on an empty stomach leads to obesity, larger fat stores around the stomach and higher cholesterol levels — all major risk factors for heart disease.

It also triggers higher insulin levels in the blood, a warning sign that diabetes could soon set in. Researchers from the University of Tasmania in Australia tracked 2,184 volunteers over 20 years.

The study showed that the greatest risks are among adults who regularly went without breakfast when they were children and carried on the habit when they grew up, reports the Daily Mail.

Although previous studies have suggested breakfast can be good for the heart, this is the first to track the long-term dangers, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The results show that by the time they are in their late twenties, those who rarely have breakfast as children or adults are already on the way to developing heart disease.

Scientists think one reason is they are more likely to snack on sugary foods and less likely to exercise while having a lower intake of fibre, vitamins and minerals.

But there is evidence that skipping breakfast can alter the way the body stores fat. It can also leave people less likely to eat at typical meal times, said University of Tasmania researchers.