Breakfast and Diabetes Connection — You’ve heard it often — “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” — and recent research published in the Journal of Nutrition backs up that claim for more reasons than we had thought.
German researchers summarized that forgoing breakfast even on occasion is associated with a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes. They looked at data from nearly 100,000 people in six separate studies. The researchers concluded that skipping breakfast just once a week is linked to a six percent increased risk in developing type 2 diabetes. And the numbers rose when going without four or five breakfasts over the week.
The data according to nutritionists isn’t that surprising and provided tips for those who find it difficult to start their day with a hearty meal.
While type 1 diabetes is not as common and typically diagnosed early in life, type 2 diabetes develops in people over the age of 45. Those overweight and physically inactive together with genetics have a higher risk.
BIMC doctors recommend lifestyle alterations to avoid type 2 diabetes; in addition there are ways to manage the disease for those who have been diagnosed.
Forgoing the morning meal can even lead to more insulin resistance experts say, in fact insulin resistance is a condition that requires more insulin to bring blood sugar into the normal range.
Omitting breakfast in the morning has also been linked to an increase in blood sugar following lunch and dinner and puts undue stress on the body and not breaking that morning fast after a night of sleep can strain your body and its metabolism and even lead to overeating.
The same research found that when many people do find time to eat breakfast, they often do so by grabbing a quick meal at a fast food restaurant or a coffee shop and nutrition experts say it isn’t a good idea to start the day with an unhealthy meal.
Advocating breakfast should include discussing better food choices according to the research and discouraging donuts and sweetened cereals, which are heavy in saturated fat and contain little protein and natural fiber.
Oatmeal is a healthy choice as it contains a type of fiber that can help you feel satisfied and full while reducing cholesterol. But important to note that types of flavored oatmeal have a high degree of sugar while plain oatmeal is packaged and easy to prepare. And if the taste is bland, a bit of brown sugar or honey and fruit is the answer.
Eggs are also another breakfast staple, even hardboiled prepared ahead of time are a good option along with a slice of rye or whole-grain toast. The best choice is high fiber and protein to get your day started.