Most people hear that breakfast is important, but are there any best ways to eat it for heart health, especially among older people who may already be at higher health risks? A recent study aims to explore this issue. Today, breakfast habits are attracting attention, not just whether people eat it, but also how much food is eaten and how nutritious the meal is. The study looked at how breakfast patterns affect long-term heart and metabolic health, which refers to how the body uses energy and manages functions such as blood sugar and cholesterol.
Scientists led by Dr. Álvaro Hernáez of the Spanish hospital Del Mar Research Institute have studied this link in older people. Their results appear in the journal Nutrition, Health and Aging.
Those who participated in this study were already dealing with health conditions related to weight and metabolism in the late fifties and mid-70s. For three years, researchers have been tracking the overall quality of food participants eating breakfast and these meals. People who eat a medium-sized breakfast (about a quarter of daily foods) tend to have better long-term health. On the other hand, people who eat small or very large breakfasts often gain more weight, have a larger waist circumference and lower cholesterol levels. A similar pattern appears among people whose breakfast is not very nutritious.
Over time, people with less or too much breakfast ended up changing even more. The study also found that extreme or too much diets are associated with unhealthy fats in the blood (called triglycerides) and lower levels of “good” cholesterol (called HDL cholesterol), which helps protect the heart. In contrast, those who stick to a balanced breakfast have increasingly stable body shape and cholesterol levels. It is also noted that breakfasts that lack good nutritional value may be associated with poor kidney health, referring to the level of kidneys cleaning blood and managing fluids.
“Low or high-quality breakfasts are associated with higher obesity, which means body fat and triglycerides, as well as lower HDL cholesterol in high-risk elderly people,” explains Dr. Hernáez. “Low-quality breakfasts are also associated with poor renal function.” Dr. Hernáez’s comments show how the quantity and quality of breakfasts are about overall health, especially for people who already manage health issues.
Dr. Hernáez and colleagues made a simple suggestion: During breakfast, you have a quarter of your daily food and make sure it includes foods filled with useful nutrients. The recommendation stems from three years of tracking health trends, and it provides more reliable insights than studies conducted only at a certain point in time. The results of the study show that breakfast options do indeed add up when it comes to staying healthy.
People often hear that eating breakfast can be bad, but the study points out that the way breakfast is made is more important. The team found that those who regularly eat a balanced and healthy morning meal tend to manage their weight and cholesterol more effectively. This makes this information useful to doctors and the elderly – it’s not just about eating in the morning, it’s about the correct use.
Dr. Hernáez and his team suggest that these results can help develop tailored food plans, which means personalized dietary guidelines for older people who want to prevent or manage heart and metabolic problems. There are more seniors every year, and encouraging these simple breakfast habits can be a cost-effective and meaningful way to improve public health.
Journal Reference
Pérez-Vega KA, Lassale C., ZomeñoMD et al. “The trajectory of breakfast energy intake and dietary quality and risk factors for cardiac metabolism in older people.” Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging. 2024. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnha.2024.100406
About the Author
Dr. Álvaro Hernáez He is a leading researcher in cardiovascular and nutrition epidemiology at the Del Mar Research Institute in Barcelona, Spain. Dr. Hernáez has a strong background in public health and biomedical sciences, specializing in how diet and lifestyle affect heart and metabolic health, especially in aging populations. He played a key role in the Predimed-Plus study, a landmark clinical trial exploring the effects of the Mediterranean diet on individuals at high risk for cardiovascular disease. His research focuses on translating complex clinical data into practical dietary guidelines designed to prevent disease and healthy aging. Dr. Hernáez is known for his collaborative work at various Spanish health institutions, combining statistical expertise with an in-depth understanding of nutritional science. He also works on public engagement and data transparency, often publicly sharing his approaches and findings with the scientific community to improve global health research results.
