Harvard study says breakfast every day can keep the doctor away

THE supposed benefits of eating a good breakfast are endless, from its metabolism-boosting powers to staving off mid-morning hunger pangs.

But recent research added a new factor to the mix, when it was found that men who regularly skipped breakfast had a 27% higher risk of heart attack or death from coronary heart disease than those who routinely ate a morning meal.

The study, by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) in the USA, is the first of its kind to indicate a direct link between the two, and found that breakfast-skippers were generally hungrier later in the day and ate more food at night, perhaps leading to metabolic changes and heart disease.

It followed 26,902 men aged 45-82 over a 16-year period and even after accounting for diet, physical activity, smoking and other lifestyle factors, the association between skipping breakfast and heart disease persisted.

Lead author Dr Leah Cahill, a research fellow at HSPH, suggests: “Skipping breakfast may lead to one or more risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, which may in turn lead to a heart attack over time.”

Cahill says the research team expects the results to apply to women as well, and they currently have a similar study with females under way.

Daniel McCartney, a lecturer in dietetics at DIT says: “Breakfast kick-starts the metabolism and wakes up the body.

“A high-fibre cereal will also slow absorption of sugar from the gut. Insoluble fibre — found in cereals such as Weetabix and All Bran and in bananas — can fill you until lunch time.

Dietitian Victoria Taylor suggests wholegrain toast or cereals like porridge with low-fat milk are a good way to start the day.

“Try a sliced banana or dried fruit on top and you’ll be on your way to five-a-day before you’ve even left the house,” she adds.

“A healthy and filling breakfast can make that mid-morning biscuit less tempting, as well as giving you another opportunity to widen the variety of foods in your diet.”

Healthy options include the following: nPorridge made with semi-skimmed milk topped with a selection of dried fruits. Oats are a good source of insoluble fibre.

* Muesli, fresh fruit and low-fat yoghurt. Added fruit counts towards your five-a-day, and low-fat yoghurt provides calcium and protein.

* Wholegrain breakfast cereal with semi-skimmed milk. Many cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals.

* Boiled egg with wholemeal toast and low-fat spread. Eggs are a good source of protein, minerals and vitamins A, D and B2. Wholemeal bread contains B vitamins, vitamin E, fibre and a range of minerals.