Late breakfast after age 40 linked to up to 29% higher mortality risk

In a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, more than 31,000 adults aged 40+ recorded what and when they ate over a 24-hour period. The analysis revealed that postponing the first meal until after noon corresponded with a 29% higher risk of all-cause mortality and a 46% rise in deaths from heart attacks or strokes, relative to eating between 7 and 8 a.m. Participants who ate breakfast between 8 and 10 a.m. saw a 10% risk increase, which grew to 19% for those eating between 10 a.m. and noon.

Individuals 50 or older who ate later also showed an average reduction of roughly 2.5 years in life expectancy. Senior author Zhilei Shan described later eating as a potential risk marker rather than proven cause, citing prior work linking delayed breakfast to depression and oral health issues. The study’s scope was limited by a single-day eating window assessment and missing data on sleep and activity timing.