According to a study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, skipping breakfast is associated with higher levels of depression.
Skipping the morning meal could be linked to negative effects on mental health. A study involving 3154 young individuals in Hong Kong uncovered a connection between not eating breakfast and an increase in symptoms of depression. Researchers found that a significant factor mediating this relationship is a decrease in the ability to concentrate. Those who regularly miss breakfast tend to have poorer attention spans and show increased impulsivity. The findings were published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry.
Data from the Hong Kong Youth Epidemiological Study revealed that 15 percent of the surveyed youth never eat breakfast, while 33 percent consider it a daily habit. Skipping breakfast was found to correlate with higher rates of depression, anxiety, and reduced performance in social and academic settings. Importantly, the difficulty in focusing was identified as explaining over one-third of the association between skipping breakfast and depressive symptoms.
The study`s authors emphasize that making breakfast a regular part of one`s routine could serve as a preventative measure against mental health challenges in young people.
