Skipping breakfast increases the chance of becoming obese, developing diabetes or having a heart attack, according to evidence analysed at Harvard Medical School.

It was found that those who ate breakfast every day were a third less likely to be obese compared to those who skipped breakfast.

In addition they were half as likely to have blood-sugar problems, which increase the risk of developing diabetes or having high cholesterol, a known risk factor for heart disease.

Researchers believe that eating breakfast may help stabilise blood sugar levels which regulate appetite and energy. Those eating breakfast are less likely to be hungry during the rest of the day and are therefore less likely to over-eat.

Previous studies of school children by the British Dietetic Association have also shown that eating breakfast improves children’s concentration levels.
So as researcher Dr Mark Pereira of Harvard says ‘ Breakfast may really be the most important meal of the day.’