Why Breakfast Deserves Its Reputation

Why Breakfast Deserves Its Reputation

By: Mariam Mostafa

Pinterest. https://pin.it/4xjdOOQ6k. Accessed 9 March 2025.

Before fasting for Ramadan, breakfast constantly posed a challenge for me. I rarely find the time or appetite to eat a substantial meal in the morning, typically opting for a granola bar or a cup of tea. My mother, however, always lectures me for not eating well in the morning, stressing the importance of a well-rounded breakfast to start the day off properly. Her insistence caused me to wonder: Is breakfast truly the most important meal of the day? While I may not prioritize a large breakfast, I believe its health benefits support its title as the most important meal of the day.

Firstly, eating breakfast regularly assists in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and other health issues (Liew 1). Specifically, compared to lunch and dinner, skipping breakfast more conclusively links to increased cardiometabolic risk factors, such as obesity and hypertension, which elevate the risk of CVD (Liew 1). For example, a systematic review of studies from Japan and the U.S. involving over 199,000 adults found those who skipped breakfast faced a 21% higher risk of developing or dying from CVD compared to those who ate breakfast (Liew 5). In addition, this research has shown relationships to other heart diseases, such as higher rates of atherosclerosis, where plaque accumulates in a person’s arteries (Liew 5). For individuals with a medical history of heart disease or heart attacks, eating breakfast can serve as a precautionary measure to help manage and reduce further cardiovascular risks (Liew 2). Thus, regular breakfast consumption generally lowers the risk of serious health issues as opposed to lunch and dinner, which reinforces breakfast’s distinct reputation as the most important meal of the day.

Furthermore, skipping breakfast may relate to sleep disorders among college students or students in general (Xian 1). A recent study with 712 participants examined how sleep chronotypes—an individual's natural preference for sleep timing (being a morning person, a night owl, or somewhere in between)—and depressive symptoms (e.g., sadness or fatigue) influence the relationship between breakfast frequency and sleep quality (Xian 1). Essentially, the results discussed how breakfast frequency affects sleep quality through two main ways: increasing morning and intermediate sleep patterns (by 32%) and lowering depressive symptoms (by 52.4%) (Xian 1-4). Morning and intermediate patterns predominantly help align an individual’s sleep schedule with their body’s natural Circadian rhythm or natural clock for better energy throughout the day, while reduced depressive symptoms help lead to restful sleep (“Why Sleep is Important”). Therefore, these results objectively show regular breakfast consumption as a relatively crucial factor in improving sleep quality (Xian 3). They also demonstrate how students can benefit overall from prioritizing breakfast to enhance their well-being and academic performance (Xian 3-5). (Side note: Uni students can absolutely benefit from this research due to extracurriculars and assignments!)

In conclusion, while breakfast may not always serve as my personal priority, research and case studies consistently highlight its undeniable benefits for both physical and mental health. As mentioned previously, eating breakfast helps lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, improve sleep quality, and support academic performance, especially in comparison to lunch or dinner. Given these benefits and comparisons, breakfast, in my opinion, deserves its reputation as the most important meal of the day due to holding immense value. Finally, the research presented has helped me gain a better understanding of breakfast’s role in overall health, causing me to begin wanting to implement the meal into my routine consistently. I hope it prompts you to reflect on how you view breakfast as well!

Works Cited:

(NOTE: If my citations are spaced weirdly, I sincerely apologize; Blogger always formats my citations/spacing in the goofiest way possible. Thank you!)

Liew, Danny, et al. “Skipping Breakfast and the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Death: A Systematic Review of Prospective Cohort Studies in Primary Prevention Settings.” Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease, vol. 6, no. 3, 2019, https://doi.org/10.3390/jcdd6030030. 

Onque, Renée. “Is Breakfast Really the Most Important Meal of the Day? Doctors and Longevity Experts Can’t Seem to Agree: ‘I very often skip’ it.” CNBC News. 27 December 2024, https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/27/is-breakfast-really-the-most-important-meal-of-the-day.html.

Pinterest. https://pin.it/4xjdOOQ6k. Accessed 9 March 2025. 

“Why Sleep is Important.” National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 24 March 2022, https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep/why-sleep-important#:~:text=During%20sleep%2C%20your%20body%20is,long%2Dterm. Accessed 8 March 2025.

Xian, Xiaobing, et al. “Breakfast Frequency and Sleep Quality in College Students: The Multiple Mediating Effects of Sleep Chronotypes and Depressive Symptoms.” Nutrients, vol. 15, no. 12, 2023, https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15122678.