Skipping Breakfast Does Not Cause Weight Gain

Skipping breakfast may not lead to weight gain, a small study reported.

For many years, experts have said that skipping breakfast could lead to snacking on high-calorie food later in the day which could in turn lead to weight gain. Another recent study found that men who skip breakfast were at a higher risk of heart disease.

But, a small study based on 24 people has found that avoiding breakfast may lead to consumption of fewer calories later in the day, HealthDay reported.

In the study, half of the study participants were given a breakfast while the other half weren't. Researchers then looked at the number of calories they consumed at lunch (which was a buffet, so participants could eat a variety of foods).

Study results showed that people who skipped breakfast were hungrier than the rest of the study group, but did not eat more at lunch. In fact, people who didn't eat breakfast consumed 400 fewer calories when compared to people who had eaten a meal at the start of the day.

"If you are a breakfast eater and we take it away, you will be hungrier, but you won't overeat at subsequent meals," said Dr. David Levitsky, a professor of nutritional sciences and psychology at Cornell University and one of the study authors, according to HealtDay. "You can skip breakfast and not feel that you will become overweight."

However, nutrition experts believe that avoiding breakfast may not be healthy for everybody. Previous research has shown that a good breakfast helps children pay attention at school. Also, starting the day on an empty stomach could lead to feeling lethargic later in the day.

"Based on this small study, we can't say that it doesn't matter whether you eat breakfast as far as weight control goes for the average person," said Nancy Copperman, director of public health initiatives at the North Shore-LIJ Health System in Great Neck, N.Y., reports HealthDay. "There are many reasons why you should eat breakfast that are not related to caloric intake."

The study is published in the journal Physiology and Behavior.