{
  "id": 7126781,
  "title": "Skipping breakfast bad for your health?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/skipping-breakfast-bad-for-your-health",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-13T15:29:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/skipping-breakfast-bad-for-your-health/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The debate over whether skipping breakfast is beneficial for health has been ongoing. The phrase \"breakfast is the most important meal of the day\" gained popularity due to marketing efforts, but does it hold any scientific truth? One study found that skipping breakfast and eating a late meal decreased leptin levels, which promotes satiety, while increasing the hunger hormone ghrelin. This hormonal shift can lead to higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, and increase 'bad' LDL cholesterol. Consequently, those who skip breakfast have a 21 percent higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Additionally, skipping breakfast can cause low energy levels and brain fog due to low blood sugar, as glycogen stores are depleted overnight. The brain relies on a constant supply of carbohydrates to function optimally. While skipping breakfast has been linked to weight loss in some studies, consuming around 260 fewer calories per day on average, it may also disrupt metabolism and the gut microbiome, leading to increased hunger and potentially unbalanced nutrient intake. Ultimately, listening to one's hunger cues and eating when feeling hungry, regardless of the time, is recommended over the trend of skipping breakfast.",
  "summary": "Should you start your day strong with breakfast or wait it out for a better lunch? Here’s what happens to your body when you miss breakfast:",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}