Is it healthy to skip breakfast?

For most healthy adults, yes — total daily intake and food quality matter more than meal timing. But people with diabetes on certain medications, pregnant women, and children generally do better with a morning meal. If skipping leaves you ravenous and overeating later, it isn't working for you.

The people who should not skip are those on sulphonylureas or insulin, pregnant women, children and adolescents, and anyone with a history of disordered eating.

If you do skip, pay attention to total protein and fibre across the day. Compressing eating into a short window often means missing vegetables and protein rather than just missing calories.