SKIPPING BREAKFAST MAY RAISE DIABETES RISK

Eating breakfast every day may help reduce the risk of weight gain and developing diabetes.  A small new study of overweight and obese women found that when participants skipped breakfast, their blood glucose and insulin responses to the same lunch meal increased. 

In the study, Dr. Elizabeth Thomas and her team at the University of Colorado measured the levels of participants’ insulin and blood sugar on different days after the women ate the same lunch. On some of the days, researchers gave the participants breakfast while on other days participants did not eat breakfast.  Glucose levels normally rise after eating a meal, and that in turn triggers insulin production, which helps the body’s cells take in the glucose to use for energy.  When the cells respond to the insulin, blood sugar drops back down.  The researchers found that on days when the women had not eaten breakfast, blood sugar responses to the same lunch meals rose 12% higher and the insulin their bodies’ produced in order to get the cells to take up the glucose rose 28%. 

The fact that the women's insulin and glucose levels after lunch were significantly higher on the days they skipped breakfast than on the days they ate it, means that the cells of the body were less receptive to taking up fuel when breakfast had been skipped.  As a result, glucose levels remained higher and the pancreas had to produce more insulin in order to get the cells to take up the glucose.  When cells become progressively resistant to responding to insulin, type 2 diabetes develops.  While in this study, the higher glucose and insulin levels following lunch were a short-term effect, it is possible that, over time, this meal pattern increases rates of diabetes.  Another drawback to excess insulin production is that having greater levels of insulin in body generally leads to more nutrients being directed to fat storage, increasing the likelihood of weight gain.  Excess insulin can also lead to increased carbohydrate cravings, which can also lead to weight gain. 

What to do: Eat a healthy breakfast!  Aim to include fiber rich whole grains, fruits and/or veggies and some lean protein such as nonfat dairy or eggwhites and limit the amount of unhealthy fats such as those from meat, butter, and cream.  No time?  Some easy on the run options - add a fruit to any of the following:  whole-grain toast/English muffin with peanut butter/lowfat cheese/turkey; a cup of nonfat Greek yogurt with a handful of whole grain cereal; a baggie of dry cereal and nuts; a hard-boiled egg & whole-grain crackers.

Source:

Thomas, E.  June 16, 2013, presentation, Endocrine Society annual meeting, San Francisco, CA.

Adapted from article available at:  http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_137866.html