Skipping breakfast can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, says studies

A colleague said to me recently, "does anyone eat breakfast? Is that even still a thing?" and — you know what — it made me think: how many times do I eat breakfast in a week?

I did not even realise that I, too, have stopped eating breakfast until it was pointed out like that.

Blame it on adulthood: kids are the ones who feel hungry seven minutes (or is it four?) after they wake up.

An adult? You're thinking of the outfit to wear to work today, preparing your bath, and dressing up. Then you're reaching for your phone to get the latest updates or join a prayer channel.

You get to work (or if you work remotely, you settle into your work station) and the tasks already lined up fill up your mind for say, two and a half hours.

You speak with your flatmates (if you have any; it could also be your romantic partner) and find out how their day is coming along.

You scan social media for a few minutes or for as long as you can spare. Something funny, bizzare, or breaking gets your attention. You stay for a few more minutes (or maybe that's what you tell yourself — I'll be out of here in 15 seconds — you know you won't).

READ ALSO: Skipping Breakfast Is A Thing Again Thanks To Intermittent Fasting—But Is It A Good Idea?

Work calls again. You hurry back.

And then the thought shapes up somewhere in your mind (on your fifth secret scroll on Instagram that you promised would be your last after the third time): I haven't even eaten today.

Even if this is not exactly your scenario, it's not entirely unthinkable.

Breakfast, that used to carry the almighty tag "the most important meal of the day", might as well happen in dreams now. Many of us skip it, even mindlessly.

But are there any risks associated with doing this? Let's find out.

A large systematic review and meta-analysis, published in The Journal of Nutrition, pulled data from several long-term cohort studies to examine the link between breakfast habits and type 2 diabetes.

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The findings were too hard to ignore. Adults who skipped breakfast had a 33% higher risk of developing diabetes compared to those who ate it daily.

Even after adjusting for body weight, a major factor in diabetes risk, the link remained, with a 22% higher risk. In simple terms: whether or not you’re overweight, missing breakfast consistently is not doing your body (that much) favours.

The researchers did not just look at who skipped breakfast; they also looked at how often. The frequency painted an even clearer picture.

Missing breakfast just once a week was linked to a 6% increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

By the time individuals skipped breakfast four to five times a week, their risk of diabetes shot up to 55%. Beyond that, the numbers plateaued, suggesting that the damage may already be done when breakfast is regularly ignored.

So, what’s going on here? Why does skipping a simple morning meal have such long-term effects?

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One theory is that skipping breakfast disrupts the body’s glucose metabolism. Breakfast helps stabilise blood sugar levels after a night of fasting. Without it, your body may struggle to regulate insulin efficiently throughout the day, leading to insulin resistance — a key driver of type 2 diabetes.

Another possibility is behavioural. People who skip breakfast are more likely to overeat later, often choosing high-calorie, less nutritious meals to make up for it. Over time, these patterns contribute to poor metabolic health.

This is not just one study making noise. A separate meta-analysis involving more than 100,000 participants found consistent results.

In long-term studies, people who regularly skipped breakfast had a 21% higher risk of diabetes. In shorter, cross-sectional studies, the risk was still 15% higher. The message across the board is the same: breakfast matters more than we might think.

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Type 2 diabetes is a global health concern, and cases are climbing at alarming rates. According to the World Health Organization, more than 400 million people worldwide are living with diabetes, with type 2 being the most common form.

While nobody is claiming that eating breakfast alone will shield you from the disease, these findings suggest that something as simple as starting your day with a balanced meal can make a meaningful difference. Alongside regular exercise, good sleep, and stress management, breakfast may play a quiet but important role in prevention.

Of course, breakfast habits vary across cultures and lifestyles. Some people practise intermittent fasting and swear by skipping morning meals altogether.

The research doesn’t dismiss fasting entirely, but it does suggest that for the average adult, skipping breakfast regularly may come with unintended consequences.

Context also matters: what you eat at breakfast is just as important as whether you eat it at all. Eating a sugar-filled pastry might not protect you from diabetes. But oats with fruit and eggs? They have a stronger chance.

READ MORE: 50 Best Healthy Breakfast Ideas For Weight Loss

Science may be pointing us back to something simple: eating in the morning is better than not eating at all. It might not feel groundbreaking, but sometimes the smallest, most ordinary habits turn out to have the biggest impact on our long-term health.

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