Remember the proverb: “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper!”
Well, a new study appears to be just reminding us of that – it’s not just what we eat but when we eat is also of essence. when we eat
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Manchester studied nearly 3,000 adults aged 42 to 94 over a period of 22 years. Their goal was to understand how meal timing changes with age and how those changes relate to health and longevity.
Participants regularly reported when they ate their meals, along with details about their health, lifestyle, and even genetic background. when we eat
One key finding stood out: eating breakfast later in the day was linked to a higher risk of death. when we eat
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People who consistently ate breakfast earlier had a 10-year survival rate of about 90%, compared to around 87% in those who ate breakfast later. Even more striking, for every hour breakfast was delayed, the risk of death increased by 8% to 11%, depending on the analysis—even after accounting for other factors like age, gender, and existing health conditions. when we eat
The study also found that as people age, they tend to eat later in the day and within a shorter overall time window. Late breakfast and dinner times were more common among people dealing with physical and mental health issues such as fatigue, depression, anxiety, poor sleep, and multiple chronic illnesses. when we eat
Some people were also genetically more likely to be “night owls,” which contributed to later eating habits. when we eat
Importantly, while the study doesn’t prove that eating late causes health problems, it does show a strong connection between late meal timing and poorer health outcomes. It’s possible that delayed eating is both a sign of underlying health issues and a contributor to further health decline. when we eat
Still, the takeaway is clear: keeping a consistent, earlier breakfast routine may support healthier aging. Eating earlier in the day may help maintain better circadian rhythm alignment—your body’s natural clock that regulates sleep, metabolism, and other vital functions. when we eat
The researchers noted in a as people get older, changes in health and daily routines can affect when they eat their meals. when we eat
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Sharing the results, they note that older age is associated with later breakfast and dinner times, a later eating midpoint, and a shorter daily eating window. when we eat
“Physical and psychological illnesses, including fatigue, oral health problems, depression, anxiety, and multimorbidity, are primarily associated with later breakfast. Genetic profiles related to an evening chronotype, but not obesity, are linked to later meals. when we eat
“Later breakfast timing is also associated with increased mortality. Latent class analysis of meal timing trajectories identify early and late eating groups, with 10-year survival rates of 86.7% in the late eating group compared to 89.5% in the early eating group.” when we eat
In short, starting your day with an early breakfast isn’t just a good habit—it might also be a simple and effective way to help you live longer and stay healthier as you age.
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Ali Imran is a Washington-based journalist, who has worked for leading world news organizations as a correspondent, expert and in editorial positions. He is a published author and poet.
