The time of a person's first meal of the day is linked to a difference of up to 29% in the risk of early death among adults aged 40 and older.
Later First Meals Tied to Step-by-Step Rise in Risk
According to the New York Post on the 24th, a recent study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition analyzed dietary data from more than 31,000 adults aged 40 and older and confirmed a link between meal timing and mortality risk. The study found that the later the first meal, the higher the risk of death, in a stepwise pattern.
Using people who ate breakfast between 7 and 8 a.m. as the baseline, those who had their first meal between 8 and 10 a.m. faced a 10% higher risk of early death. Those who ate first between 10 a.m. and noon had a 19% higher risk, and those who ate their first meal after noon saw the figure climb to 29%. The risk jumps sharply with roughly every three-hour delay in meal time, according to the study.
In particular, people who ate their first meal after noon had a 46% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than those who ate between 7 and 8 a.m. Among participants aged 50 and older, those who ate later were found to have an average life expectancy about 2.5 years shorter.
Experts noted that continually delaying meals disrupts the 24-hour body clock, causing blood sugar to spike sharply and increasing the secretion of stress hormones. They said meal timing also affects insulin resistance and blood pressure control.
Earlier, researchers at Mass General Brigham in the United States also reported that later breakfasts are accompanied not only by a higher risk of early death but also by depression, fatigue and worsening oral health.
Zerui Sun, who led the study, stressed that "a delay in meal timing should be interpreted as a potential warning sign of declining health."
"What You Eat" Also Matters
Still, the health effects can vary depending on what is eaten.
A recent survey of 2,000 British office workers by Nichola Ludlam-Raine, a registered dietitian in the United Kingdom, found that meals low in protein and fiber caused blood sugar to rise quickly and then fall, leading to fatigue and reduced concentration in the morning. She cited a diet of whole-grain bread with eggs or nuts as an example.
She advised that eating carbohydrates together with protein, fiber and healthy fats can reduce swings in blood sugar and sustain a feeling of fullness for longer.
