Why skipping breakfast could help give you flu

by TIM UTTON, Daily Mail

Breakfast has long been regarded as the most important meal of the day, setting us up for the busy hours ahead.

Now scientists say it could be even more important than the nutritionists thought.

Research suggests that those who skip breakfast are more likely to be struck down with colds or flu.

The finding emerged from a study of 500 healthy volunteers conducted by scientists at Cardiff University.

The volunteers kept a diary for ten weeks to record how often they were ill and their symptoms.

They were also asked to note down how any illness affected their attention span, memory and general mood.

The results were analysed alongside details of their smoking, drinking and eating habits, together with how much stress each person encountered in their day-to-day lives.

A clear pattern emerged from the analysis linking breakfast with better general health.

Professor Andy Smith, who led the study, explained yesterday: 'We found that those who had more than one illness were less likely to eat breakfast.

'The 188 participants who developed colds were also more likely to drink and smoke than those who remained healthy.

'Not only that, but smokers and participants who had a lot of stress in their lives became ill more quickly than non-smokers.'

Problems in family life, relationships and at work also had an impact, said Professor Smith.

'Those who developed multiple illnesses had also endured more negative life events in the last 12 months,' he added.

The Cardiff study - unveiled to mark the start of National Science Week on Friday - is not the first research to stress the importance of breakfast.

Scientists at the University of Michigan revealed last year that vitamins and folic acid found in most breakfast cereals helped reduce levels of a harmful amino acid, homocysteine, which is known to cause cardiac disease.

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