Skipping Breakfast may Boost Heart Attack Risk

Men who skip breakfast may face an increased risk of heart attack, finds study.

A study of nearly 27,000 men found that those who failed to eat in the morning had a 27 percent higher risk of heart attack or death from coronary heart disease than those who did.

Wholesome Breakfast Choices for an Ideal Start
Good health and well-being depends on a leisurely breakfast. However, rushing our breakfast on account of work commitments is the biggest mistake we make.

The men, ranging in age from 45 to 82, took part in a survey about food that tracked health outcomes from 1992-2008.

Those who did not eat breakfast tended to be on the younger side and were "more likely to be smokers, employed full time, unmarried, less physically active and drank more alcohol."

"Skipping breakfast may lead to one or more risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, which may in turn lead to a heart attack over time," said Leah Cahill, lead study author and a researcher at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Heart Attack - Overview
Heart attack is the death of the heart muscle due to loss of blood supply. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Other names for heart attack include acute myocardial infarction, coronary thrombosis, and coronary occlusion.

The men who said they ate breakfast also appeared to eat one more time per day than those who did not, suggesting that those who skipped breakfast did not make up for the lack of food later.

Ninety-seven percent of men in the study were white and of European descent, but researchers said the results should apply to those of other backgrounds as well.

Animation of heart attack symptoms
Heart attack can cause symptoms such as Chest pain or discomfort, Shortness of breath and pain in neck, back, arm, or shoulder and is due to blockage of blood supply to the heart muscles

"Don't skip breakfast," Cahill said. "Eating breakfast is associated with a decreased risk of heart attacks."

Source-AFP

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