• In the video above: cereal, bread or spicy soup? – Expert surprises with answer: This is the healthiest breakfast in the world

According to a new study, breakfast is the most important meal of the day – especially for people who want to lose weight. The investigation, which took place in February 2026 in the “British Journal of Nutrition“ was published showed: Overweight and obese people who consumed 45 percent of their daily calorie needs at breakfast and only 20 percent in the evening lost an average of four kilograms.

But not only the quantity but also the timing of breakfast is of great importance for health. One Long-term study showed 2025: A late one Breakfast Old age is associated with an increased risk of death. Health problems such as depression, chronic fatigue or sleep problems also occur more frequently.

Rhythm often shifts backwards

The analysis was based on data from 2,945 people between the ages of 42 and 94. All of them lived independently and took part in repeated surveys over a period of 34 years – for example about meal times, sleeping habits and illness progression.

Those who eat breakfast later are more likely to get sick

Particularly striking: people who regularly eat breakfast later are sick more often. The researchers found a connection with various health problems:

• Depression
• Anxiety disorders
• Permanent fatigue
• Dental diseases
• Simultaneous occurrence of several diseases (multimorbidity)

Even those who suffer from sleep disorders or have difficulty cooking often eat breakfast later. The postponed meal time does not seem to be a cause, but rather an expression of general health changes.

Late breakfast, higher risk of death

A central finding of the study concerns the connection between breakfast time and life expectancy. Anyone who postpones their first meal significantly has a significantly higher risk of death.

Specifically, the evaluation shows:

• For every hour of later breakfast, the risk of dying within the observation period increases by up to 11 percent
• In the early breakfast group, 89.5 percent survived after ten years
• In the late breakfast group the rate was only 86.7 percent

This difference remains even when other factors such as

• Sleep,
• Alcohol,
• Smoke
• or socioeconomic status

be taken into account.

“These results give new meaning to the saying ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’ – especially for older people,” says study leader Hassan Dashti of Massachusetts General Hospital.

Two types, two eating patterns

In their analysis, the researchers differentiated between two groups: early eaters and late eaters. The early eaters kept their breakfast times consistent over the years. The late eaters started their first meal later and later over time – and showed an overall higher risk of illness.

“Our results suggest that eating breakfast late could be a simple marker of health status in older people,” says Dashti.

Genes also play a role

In part of the study, genetic data was also evaluated. It turned out that people with a genetic predisposition to an “evening chronotype” – i.e. late risers – had breakfast on average over seven minutes later. Lunch and dinner also shifted slightly.

According to the study, genes associated with obesity do not influence when people eat – but how long they eat during the day

Why breakfast time is more than a habit

The researchers see the morning meal as a kind of early warning system. If the start of the day is permanently pushed back, this could be a sign of health problems – especially if appetite, sleep quality or energy levels decrease at the same time.

Briefly summarized:

• As we get older, breakfast often gets delayed, on average by around 45 minutes over five decades.
• A late breakfast is associated with depression, fatigue, sleep disorders and several illnesses at the same time.
• Eating breakfast every hour later measurably increases the risk of death – a regular start to the day could therefore stabilize health in old age.

By Anne Bajrica