Skipping meals increase the risk of heart disease and death, says study

Skipping meals is not going to help you lose weight in the long run. These unhealthy habits can also increase the risk of heart disease and related deaths. A new study has found that shorter meal intervals also come with serious health consequences.

The study published in Science Alert observed 24,011 American adults over the age of 40. Those who had only one meal a day and those who skipped breakfast have a higher mortality risk. Experts suggest that there should be an interval of 4.5 hours between two meals.

Our research revealed that individuals eating only one meal a day are more likely to die than those who had more daily meals. Based on these findings, we recommend eating at least two to three meals spread throughout the day," said epidemiologist Yangbo Sun.

"Our research contributes much-needed evidence about the association between eating behaviours and mortality in the context of meal timing and duration of the daily prandial [meal] period," added another epidemiologist Wei Bao.

Findings also suggest that people who smoked more and consumed more alcohol were more likely to eat less nutritious food and favour more snacks. They are more likely to skip meals. Working hours, time pressures, poverty, different dieting, and fasting approach are also reasons for skipping meals.