For decades, people have been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, with many insisting they cannot leave home in the morning without eating. But scientific evidence suggests the reality is more nuanced.
While breakfast can provide energy and support concentration, researchers say there is no conclusive evidence that eating breakfast alone guarantees better health or weight loss.
In 2019, researchers from Monash University in Australia reviewed 13 studies involving more than 2,000 participants to examine the relationship between breakfast consumption, body weight and overall health.
The review, published in the medical journal The BMJ, found no strong evidence that eating breakfast by itself leads to weight reduction or improved health outcomes compared with skipping the morning meal.
However, other research indicates that the quality of breakfast may matter more than the timing of the meal.
A study by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in the United States found that people who consume a nutritious breakfast may have improved concentration at work or school and may be better able to manage their eating habits throughout the day.
Another study involving more than 26,000 people in the United States found that individuals who regularly skipped breakfast had a higher risk of heart disease compared with those who ate breakfast daily.
Research from the American Heart Association has also linked regular breakfast consumption with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Nutrition experts and the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasize that the main concern is not simply whether a person eats breakfast, but the nutritional value of the food consumed.
A healthy breakfast should ideally include nutrient-rich foods such as whole grains, fruits, milk, eggs and other sources of protein. Experts say this provides greater benefits than consuming only tea or foods high in sugar.
For students, starting the day without food may affect concentration and the ability to follow lessons, while workers who eat a balanced breakfast may have more sustained energy and improved productivity.
Experts say maintaining good health depends less on one specific meal and more on having a balanced, adequate diet throughout the day.
Therefore, while breakfast can be a healthy way to begin the day for many people, its benefits depend largely on what is eaten rather than simply the act of eating in the morning.
