Eating breakfast can lower risk of type 2 diabetes

Washington: We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Now a new research shows why it is so important to eat healthy early in the morning. German researchers conducted a review of existing studies and concluded that even skipping breakfast occasionally is associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The research was published in The Journal of Nutrition. The researchers looked at data from more than 96,000 people, spanning 6 separate studies and found that skipping breakfast once a week is associate with a 6 per cent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The researchers found that the number rose from there, with skipping breakfast 4 or 5 times per week leading to an increased risk of 55 per cent. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 90 to 95 per cent of the 30 million people in the US living with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.

While type 1 diabetes is less common and generally diagnosed early in life, type 2 diabetes typically develops in people over the age of 45. The risk factors for type 2 diabetes include being overweight and physically inactive, along with genetics.

According to experts, since there is a link between type 2 diabetes, blood sugar, and insulin, it isn`t surprising to dietitians that skipping breakfast could also lead to an increased risk.Speaking about the study, Jenna Freeman Scudder, RD, a dietitian at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center who spoke to Healthline said that some small studies suggest that skipping the morning meal can actually lead to more insulin resistance.

She further added, "Insulin resistance is a condition that requires more insulin to bring blood sugar into the normal range. And when it`s chronic, there`s a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes. "The dietician further added that omitting breakfast in the morning has also been associated with an increase in blood sugar following both lunch and dinner. This can put undue stress on the body as well as leading to poor dietary choices.