Skipping breakfast may cause weight gain, obesity

People who skip breakfast are more likely to gain weight and have larger waists, according to a study.

Researchers from Mayo Clinic in the US found that 26.7 per cent of people who skipped breakfast were obese, compared with 10.9 per cent of those who ate it frequently.

People who never ate breakfast self-reported the greatest weight gain over the past year, according to the study.

“Infrequent breakfast consumption is associated with indices of central obesity and weight gain, with these associations being more evident in individuals who never eat breakfast,” researchers said.            

The study traced the breakfast habits of 347 people from 2005 to 2017.

The participants, aged between 18 and 87, were measured for their height, weight, waist and hip circumference, Xinhua news agency reported.

The study also found that those who missed their breakfast had an average waist of 97.5 centimetre, 9.8cm larger than those who had it five to seven times a week, even when age, gender and body mass were considered.