Skipping Breakfast or Eating Late Leads to Bone Disease – Scientists Warn

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones lose their density and become fragile, making them prone to fractures even from minor impacts.

While it is more common among the elderly, it is increasingly being diagnosed in younger people as well.

Common risk factors include:

• smoking,
• alcohol consumption,
• sedentary lifestyle,
• poor diet.

Until recently, the influence of eating habits on osteoporosis was not thoroughly studied.

Why Are Breakfast and Dinner Timing Important?

The Japanese researchers analyzed medical data from more than 927,000 adults using an insurance database. As a result, they found that:

• People who skip breakfast,
• People who have late dinners,
• And those who don’t get enough sleep, smoke, or are physically inactive

were more likely to be diagnosed with osteoporosis and to suffer bone fractures.

Fractures were especially common in areas such as the hip, spine, forearm, and shoulder.

Lead researcher Dr. Hiroki Nakajima from Nara Medical University stated:

“We aimed to investigate how eating habits affect the risk of osteoporotic fractures. We found that skipping breakfast and having late dinners are linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis.

Moreover, these habits are often associated with other risk factors such as lack of sleep, smoking, and low physical activity.”

How to Prevent Osteoporosis?

According to the scientists, to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, people should:

• avoid skipping breakfast,
• have dinner earlier in the evening,
• maintain a healthy sleep routine,
• engage in regular physical activity (such as walking or exercise),
• avoid harmful habits like smoking and drinking alcohol.