A long-term study found that eating breakfast later increases risks of depression, fatigue, health problems, and early death in older adults.
Having breakfast later in the morning is associated with higher risks of depression, fatigue, sleep problems, and even death, according to new research. Scientists at Mass General Brigham and partner institutions followed nearly 3,000 adults in the U.K., ages 42 to 94, for over 20 years. They found that shifting breakfast to a later time narrowed the eating window and raised both mental and physical health risks.
“Our research suggests that changes in when older adults eat, especially the timing of breakfast, could serve as an easy-to-monitor marker of their overall health status,” said lead author Hassan Dashti of Massachusetts General Hospital. He added that “encouraging older adults in having consistent meal schedules could become part of broader strategies to promoting healthy aging and longevity.”
The findings add new weight to the saying that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” particularly for older adults.