Skipping Breakfast Puts Diabetics At Risk, New Study Says

If you have type 2 diabetes, you probably know enough to stay away from many traditional sweet American breakfasts like syrup-drenched pancakes and waffles, but it's not a good idea to skip out on the morning meal entirely.New research from scientists at Tel Aviv University in Israel shows that diabetics who fast until noon were much more likely to have dangerous blood sugar level spikes, than those who ate first thing in the morning, according to Reuters.

"We theorized that the omission of breakfast would not be healthy, but it was surprising to see such a high degree of deterioration of glucose metabolism only because the participants did not eat breakfast," said Professor Daniela Jakubowicz, who worked on the study. "This means that reducing the amount of starch and sugars in lunch and dinner will have no effect on reducing elevated glucose levels if diabetic individuals also skip breakfast."

These findings are consistent with research that linked skipping breakfast with weight gain and diabetic tendency. Of the 22 diabetic patients that were studied, on average, their blood sugar was 40 percent higher on days when they did not eat breakfast, than on days when they did. This is a direct result of the lack of nutrients making it almost impossible for beta cells to produce the correct amount of natural insulin to regulate blood sugar levels.