Association between breakfast skipping and postprandial hyperglycaemia after lunch in healthy young individuals

Breakfast skipping has become an increasing trend in the modern lifestyle and may play a role in obesity and type 2 diabetes. In our previous studies in healthy young individuals, a single incident of breakfast skipping increased the overall 24-h blood glucose and elevated the postprandial glycaemic response after lunch; however, it was difficult to determine whether this response was due to breakfast omission or the extra energy (i.e. lunch plus breakfast contents). The present study aimed to assess the postprandial glycaemic response and to measure their hormone levels when healthy young individuals had identical lunch and dinner, and the 24-h average blood glucose as a secondary outcome. Nine healthy young men (19−24 years) participated in two-meal trials: with breakfast (three-meal condition) or without breakfast (breakfast skipping condition). During the meals, each individual’s blood glucose was continuously monitored. Skipping breakfast resulted in a significantly higher (P < 0·001) glycaemic response after lunch as compared with the glycaemic response after an identical lunch when breakfast was consumed. Despite the difference in the total energy intake, the 24-h average blood glucose was similar between the two-meal conditions (P = 0·179). Plasma NEFA level was significantly higher (P < 0·05) after lunch when breakfast was omitted, and NEFA level positively correlated with the postprandial glycaemic response (r 0·631, P < 0·01). In conclusion, a single incident of breakfast skipping increases postprandial hyperglycaemia, and associated impaired insulin response, after lunch. The present study showed that skipping breakfast influences glucose regulation even in healthy young individuals.