People skipping breakfast are five times more likely to die after a heart attack

Research suggests that skipping breakfast and eating late at night could wreak havoc.

Scientists found that people who frequently missed their morning meal and regularly ate dinner less than two hours before going to bed had a much lower chance of surviving a heart attack.

Experts believe that shifting the bulk of food consumption earlier in the day gives the body a better chance of burning calories and gives a healthier hormone balance.

The theory – which confirms the old adage, "breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dine like a poor man" – also states that people who eat well in the morning are less likely to nibble during the day.

People who frequently missed their morning meal and regularly dined less than two hours before going to bed had a much lower chance of surviving a heart attack.

Researchers from São Paolo State University in Brazil followed 113 people with heart attacks.

The team found that 57% of participants skipped breakfast at least three times a week, 51% had late dinners three times a week, and 41% missed their breakfast and late evening meals.

The researchers also found that people who regularly missed their morning meal and ate within two hours of going to bed were four to five times more likely to die a month after their heart attack or have another attack.

The academics, who published their findings in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, said changing the way people eat would be an easy way to improve their health.

Dr. Marcos Minicucci, responsible for the study, said: "Nutrition is a relatively inexpensive and easy way to improve the prognosis".

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 of dairy products [such as] fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese, a carbohydrate – whole wheat bread, bagels, cereals – and whole fruits. It should represent 15 to 35% of our total daily calorie intake.

The researchers said that people who miss breakfast and have a late dinner are also more likely to have other harmful health habits, such as smoking and low levels of physical activity.

Dr. Minicucci said, "Our research shows that both eating behaviors are independently related to poor outcomes after a heart attack, but having a group of bad habits will only make things worse.

"People who work late may be particularly likely to dine late and not be hungry in the morning.

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