Discover how a nutrient-dense, calorie-balanced breakfast can transform cardiometabolic health and reduce the risk of heart and kidney problems in older adults. Find out more in the article below!
In a recent article published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging, researchers investigated the impact of diet quality and energy intake at breakfast on cardiometabolic health in older adults. A moderate breakfast (20-30% of total daily calories) can help improve lipid profiles, reduce triglycerides, and increase HDL cholesterol.
The Importance of Breakfast for Health
Breakfast plays a very important role in daily nutrition, providing about 20-25% of the body’s total energy needs. Skipping breakfast can lead to a higher risk of metabolic disorders, obesity, and diabetes.
Breakfast plays a very important role in daily nutrition.
Regular breakfast consumption not only improves overall nutritional quality but also reduces the risk of serious health conditions such as hypertension, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. However, there is currently no specific standard for defining a “high-quality” breakfast.
Previous studies, although mostly cross-sectional in nature, have shown that a nutritious breakfast with ingredients such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats can support improved cardiovascular and metabolic health. However, there is a lack of long-term studies examining the relationship between breakfast calories and quality and long-term cardiometabolic health.
Impact of Breakfast and the Mediterranean Diet on Cardiovascular Health
The current study focused on the association between breakfast energy intake and meal quality with changes over time in cardiometabolic factors, including body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, triglycerides, and kidney function, in older adults with metabolic syndrome.
This was part of a larger study to evaluate the impact of a Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) with or without exercise on cardiovascular disease risk in subjects aged 55 to 75 years. Participants were encouraged to follow the MedDiet with a breakfast of low-fat dairy, whole grains, protein, olive oil, nuts, and fruit, but no specific portion size guidelines were given.
Current research focuses on the impact of breakfast on cardiovascular health.
To analyze breakfast habits, participants completed three-day food records at three time points: baseline, 24 months, and 36 months. The researchers then used the Dietary Balance Index to assess energy intake and breakfast quality.
Cardiometabolic risk factors were measured periodically, and statistical models were used to determine the impact of breakfast energy and quality on these factors over time. All results were adjusted for confounders such as hypertension, diabetes, physical activity, sex, and age.
The impact of breakfast energy and quality on health
The current study involved 383 overweight or obese older adults with metabolic syndrome and high cardiovascular risk. The results showed no significant differences in baseline factors between groups classified by breakfast quality or energy intake.
Those who consumed too little or too much energy at breakfast tended to have increased body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) over time compared to the reference group. In addition, both groups also had higher triglycerides and lower HDL cholesterol, with the high-energy group showing a more pronounced negative effect. Similarly, those who consumed poor-quality breakfasts also had increased triglycerides and lower HDL.
Regarding blood pressure, there was no significant change in either systolic or diastolic blood pressure based on breakfast energy intake. However, those who consumed poor-quality breakfasts tended to have a slight increase in blood pressure.
People who eat a poor quality breakfast may have increased triglyceride levels
Glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels did not show significant differences between groups, although those who ate a poor quality breakfast had a slightly higher increase. Kidney function, assessed by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), was also slightly reduced in the poor quality breakfast group.
Overall, both energy and breakfast quality independently influenced health indicators, but there was no significant interaction between the two factors. The study found that moderate breakfast energy intake (20–30% of total daily calories) improved lipid profiles, reduced triglycerides, and increased HDL cholesterol. A high-quality breakfast, rich in protein and healthy carbohydrates, was associated with smaller waist circumference, higher HDL, and better kidney function.
These results highlight the important role of both breakfast quantity and quality in maintaining cardiovascular and metabolic health, especially for those in high-risk groups.
