Regular breakfasts reduce the risk of diabetes

Avoiding breakfast increases the risk of type 2 diabetes

About every fifth German citizen abstains from breakfast in the morning. This can harm your health. For a scientific study has shown that people who miss the morning meal, have a significantly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Every fifth German does not eat in the morning

Breakfast: yes or no? Many Germans clearly answer this question with "no". According to experts, about 20 percent of Germans abstain from the morning meal. In the age group of 18-29 years, this is about every second. Regular breakfast brings various health benefits. Among other things, it can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, as has now been shown in a study.

Health experts advise a regular and balanced breakfast. Those who refrain from the morning meal, according to a new study, an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. (Image: juefraphoto / fotolia.com)

Health benefits through regular breakfast

Especially for children, a regular breakfast is of particular importance. Among other things, it protects the little ones from being overweight, increases their concentration and performance and thus improves their grades at school.

But even adults should eat something in the morning, because breakfast renunciation endangers the health, as Spanish scientists reported.

They found that people who eat very little or nothing in the morning have a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

But that's not all: a scientific evaluation at the German Diabetes Center (DDZ) has now shown that men and women who miss out on breakfast in adulthood have a 33 percent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The results of the researchers were published in the journal "Journal of Nutrition".

Risk factor for the onset of type 2 diabetes

As the DDZ notes in a communication, epidemiological studies have shown that abstaining from breakfast is associated with a risk of type 2 diabetes.

However, it has never been proven in which context this is related to obesity.

Obesity is a major risk factor for the onset of type 2 diabetes.

According to the data, it was shown that obese people more often abstain from breakfast than normal people.

In addition, breakfast abstinence is discussed with an increase in weight.

Context is partly due to the influence of overweight

The research team around Dr. Sabrina Schlesinger, Head of the Junior Research Group Systematic Reviews at the DDZ, compared men and women in six long-term studies, taking into account the body mass index (BMI).

As stated in the communication, the results of the study show a dose-response relationship, i. As the number of non-breakfast days increased, the risk of diabetes increased.

The highest risk was therefore observed for abstaining from breakfast for four to five days per week. No increase in risk was determined from the fifth day following the absence of breakfast.

"This correlation is partly due to the influence of overweight. Even after taking into account the BMI, the breakfast waiver was associated with an increased risk of diabetes, "Dr. Sabrina Schlesinger.

Nutritionist recommends regular and balanced breakfast

In their meta-analysis, the team of scientists summarized the data from six different international observational studies.

In total, data from 96,175 participants, of which 4,935 who suffered from type 2 diabetes during the course of the study, were evaluated.

An explanation for the relationship between eating breakfast and the risk of type 2 diabetes could be a healthy lifestyle per se.

Subjects who refrain from eating breakfast may generally have a less favorable diet, such as consuming calorie snacks and drinks, be less physically active, or smoke more.

However, these factors were included in the evaluation so that the observed relationship could be explained by other factors.

"Further studies are needed, which in addition to the elucidation of the mechanisms, also investigate the influence of the composition of the breakfast on the risk of diabetes," concludes Dr. med. Sabrina Schlesinger.

"Basically, a regular and balanced breakfast is recommended to all people - with and without diabetes," says the nutritionist. (Ad)