Myth or fact: breakfast is the most important meal for weight loss
NutritionKey points
- A meta-analysis of 13 randomized trials found breakfast did not help with weight loss.
- Breakfast eaters consumed about 260 more calories a day.
- The quality of breakfast matters more than whether you eat it.
- Advice may differ for children and people with diabetes.
Myth: skipping breakfast makes you gain weight
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” is one of the most familiar pieces of nutrition advice, and it is often claimed that skipping breakfast slows your metabolism and leads to overeating.
Fact: randomized trials do not support it
A meta-analysis of 13 randomized trials published in The BMJ found that eating breakfast did not help adults lose weight. People assigned to eat breakfast consumed on average about 260 more calories a day and weighed about 0.44 kg (1 lb) more than those who skipped it (Sievert et al., 2019).
A one-year trial of time-restricted eating, in which participants ate only between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., also found that meal timing mattered less than total calories (Liu et al., 2022).
In practice
- If you are hungry in the morning, eat breakfast; if not, there is no need to force it.
- What you eat matters: a pastry and a sweet coffee drink are not the same as oatmeal with fruit.
- A breakfast rich in whole grains and fiber supports better diet quality overall (Reynolds et al., 2019).
Frequently asked questions
Should children eat breakfast?
Yes. Children have different needs, and school breakfast programs are linked to better nutrition and concentration. This fact check is about adult weight loss.
What is a healthy breakfast?
Whole grains, fruit and a source of protein: oatmeal with berries and nuts, whole-grain toast with peanut butter, or plain yogurt with fruit.
Sources
- Sievert et al. (2019). Effect of breakfast on weight and energy intake: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ :l42. doi:10.1136/bmj.l42
- Liu et al. (2022). Calorie Restriction with or without Time-Restricted Eating in Weight Loss. New England Journal of Medicine 386(16):1495-1504. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2114833
- Reynolds et al. (2019). Carbohydrate quality and human health: a series of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The Lancet 393(10170):434-445. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31809-9
Keep reading
Nutrition Intermittent fasting: does it work better than a regular diet?
What randomized trials show about time-restricted eating such as 16:8 compared with ordinary calorie restriction, and who it may suit.
Nutrition The DASH diet: an eating plan for healthy blood pressure
What the DASH eating plan is, how much it lowered blood pressure in NIH-funded trials and how to follow it day to day.
Nutrition Fermented foods and the gut microbiome: yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut
What a Stanford randomized trial found about fermented foods, microbiome diversity and inflammation, and how to add them to your diet.
Nutrition tools
MEDAS: how Mediterranean is your diet?
The PREDIMED trial screener (13 questions; we deliberately removed the wine item).
QuizHow much fiber do you eat? Calculator
A rough estimate of your daily fiber based on your habits.
QuizToo much sodium? Self-check
The habits that affect your sodium intake the most.
PDF · PlannerWeekly meal planner using the plate method
A 7-day planner with plate-method prompts and space for your grocery list.
PDF · ChecklistHealthy grocery list
A grocery checklist by food group, with blank lines for your own items.
PDF · Cheat sheetCheat sheet: read a Nutrition Facts label in one minute
A wallet or fridge card with % Daily Value rules and what to look for.