Eating Breakfast Early May Help You Live Longer, Study Finds
A new study suggests that eating breakfast earlier in the day may support longer life.
Researchers followed almost 3,000 adults for about 30 years. They found that the timing of meals, especially breakfast, was linked to survival. People who ate earlier in the day tended to live longer.
The study was led by Dr. Hassan Dashti of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. His team used health and lifestyle data collected by the University of Manchester.
Why meal timing matters
The research, published in Communications Medicine, showed that people often shift meals later as they age. Breakfast and dinner times moved back, while the daily eating window grew shorter.
This change may come from poor sleep, fatigue, depression, or dental problems. Life changes, such as retirement or living alone, can also delay meals. For example, low energy in the morning may slow routines, while chewing discomfort can make people put off eating.
What the numbers show
Over 22 years, 2,361 participants died. The data revealed a clear trend: every hour of breakfast delay raised the risk of death.
On average, each decade of life added an eight-minute delay to breakfast and a four-minute delay to dinner. Older adults who ate earlier had a 10-year survival rate of 89.5%. Those who ate later had a rate of 86.7%. The difference was modest but statistically meaningful.
A simple health signal
Later breakfasts often went hand in hand with health problems such as depression, anxiety, fatigue, and dental issues.
“Our findings show that meal timing, especially breakfast, may serve as a simple marker of health in older adults,” the authors wrote. They believe this could help shape strategies for healthy aging.
The bigger picture
The study adds to the growing field of “chrononutrition,” which explores how meal timing affects health. It also points to the role of circadian rhythms and daily eating schedules in healthy aging.
Resources:
https://www.foxnews.com/
https://knowledgenexuses.com/
