Effect of Breakfast Skipping on Metabolism Among Adolescents

Breakfast skipping is increasingly common among adolescents, with prevalence rates ranging from 20 to 30% in developed countries. This review discusses the metabolic consequences of habitual breakfast omission during adolescence, which is an important period of growth and development. Current evidence suggests that breakfast skipping is associated with a number of detrimental changes in glucose homeostasis, lipid metabolism, energy expenditure, and hormonal function. Adolescents who regularly miss breakfast exhibit decreased insulin sensitivity, greater postprandial glucose excursions, and an unfavourable lipid profile. Furthermore, breakfast omission has been shown to disrupt metabolic circadian rhythms, contributing to increased obesity susceptibility via compensatory eating patterns and suppressed thermogenesis. The relationship between breakfast skipping and metabolic health is complex and multifactorial, with overall diet quality, physical activity level, sleep pattern, and genetic predisposition cited as important modulators of this association. This paper summarizes current research regarding breakfast skipping and its metabolic consequences in adolescents and highlights limitations in the current literature.