A late dinner and no breakfast is a killer combination

People who skip breakfast and have dinner at bedtime have worse results after a heart attack. This is the conclusion of the research published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, Journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

The study found that people with both dietary habits had a risk of death, another heart attack or angina (chest pain) four to five times higher within 30 days of the release of the drug. 39 hospital following a heart attack.

This study was the first to evaluate these unhealthy behaviors in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Skip breakfast was observed in 58% of cases, dinner late at night, in 51% of cases and both behaviors in 41%.

The study included patients with a particularly serious form of heart attack called ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). "One in ten patients with STEMI die in one year and nutrition is a relatively inexpensive and easy way to improve the prognosis," said Dr. Marcos Minicucci, author of the study, of the 39, State University of São Paolo, Brazil.

He recommended a minimum interval of two hours between dinner and bedtime. "They say the best way to live is to eat like a king," he added. "A good breakfast is usually made up of dairy products (fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese), a carbohydrate (whole wheat bread, bagels, cereals) and fruits. whole daily caloric intake "

The study included 113 patients with an average age of 60 years and 73% of whom were men. Patients were asked about eating behaviors when they were admitted to a coronary intensive care unit. Skip breakfast was defined as nothing before lunch, excluding drinks such as coffee and water, at least three times a week. The late evening dinner was defined as a meal less than two hours before bedtime, at least three times a week.

Dr. Minicucci noted that dinner late at night was defined by a two-hour interval between dinner and bedtime, rather than eating late at night. But almost all participants with this habit were late eaters.

Previous studies have shown that people who miss breakfast and have a late dinner are more likely to have other harmful health habits, such as smoking and moderate physical activity. "Our research shows that both eating behaviors are independently linked to poorer outcomes after a heart attack, but having a group of bad habits will only make things worse," said Dr. Minicucci. "People who work late may be particularly likely to dine late and not be hungry in the morning."

"We also believe that the inflammatory response, oxidative stress and endothelial function could be involved in the badociation between unhealthy eating behaviors and cardiovascular consequences," he added.

In this study, the use of statins prior to hospitalization was higher in the group with poor eating habits and a more adverse outcome. Dr. Minicucci said, "There is some controversy about the eating habits of patients using statins." Our study suggests that patients with STEMI perceive statins as an alternative way to have health benefits. But these medications should be a supplement to healthy eating habits, not a substitute. "