The daily rush or lack of time can make you skip certain meals of the day. For many people, this habit seems harmless, with no significant negative effects, except for the sensation of hunger. However, the consequences are more serious than you might think.

Here are the hidden dangers of skipping meals, how they occur, and what you can do to improve your meal schedule.

As Lauren Wicks outlines in her article "8 Scary Things That Could Happen to Your Body When You Skip Meals", skipping meals is an unhealthy habit that hides the following risks:

Lack of energy

Carbohydrates are the body's main source of energy. Therefore, a nourishing breakfast provides you an optimal level of energy for the first part of the day, when you are the most active. If you skip breakfast, you may feel tired and unproductive.

Sources of healthy carbohydrates are wholegrain cereals (such as oats, bran, wholegrain bread, brown rice), fruits and grain legumes (chickpeas, hummus, lentils).

Increased cravings for junk food

Skipping a meal doesn't mean you'll be able to suppress your body's signals such as hunger. Lower blood sugar levels will make you turn to sugar-rich products or refined carbohydrates. Thus, skipping meals leads you to make unhealthy food choices, such as eating sweets, pastries, pretzels, snacks or other highly industrially processed foods or drinking sodas.

These contain harmful ingredients that increase your risk of developing various chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases.

Misunderstanding hunger and satiety signals

The body produces a series of hormones responsible for the sensation of hunger, satiety and fullness, such as leptin and ghrelin. These hormones make you both start eating and stop eating.

If you don't listen to your body's signals, there's a risk that you won't be able to perceive them correctly in the long term, which affects your eating behaviour. You may either not eat enough because you won't feel hungry, or you may overeat at meals because you won't feel full.

Nutritional deficiencies

When you have an unbalanced schedule and skip main meals, the quality of your diet is poor. You won't eat a sufficient amount of food from staple food groups such as vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, which leads to malnutrition.

As presented by S. Fanelli et al. in the study "Skipping breakfast is associated with nutrient gaps and poorer diet quality among adults in the United States", skipping breakfast is associated with deficiencies of folate, iron, calcium, B-complex vitamins, vitamin A.

Weight problems

Replacing balanced meals with so-called unhealthy, non-nutritive, but calorie-dense "snacks" promotes overweight and obesity, which are significant risk factors for various conditions (type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, musculoskeletal disorders). Furthermore, skipping a meal will make you overeat at the next one, thus consuming an excess of calories.

Basically, although the food you consume will cause you to gain weight, your body will still be lacking key nutrients for health, such as vitamins and minerals.

The study "Associations of Skipping Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner with Weight Gain and Overweight/Obesity in University Students: A Retrospective Cohort Study" (Ryohei Yamamoto et al.) correlated skipping dinner with an increased risk of overweight and obesity.

Conversely, some people may experience unwanted weight loss, malnutrition and muscle mass loss due to food deprivation.

Digestive disorders

Skipping a meal, followed by overeating at the next one, increases the risk of experiencing bloating, a feeling of fullness and indigestion.

Not consuming enough fibers from vegetables, fruits and whole grains can lead to bowel disorders and constipation.

Risk of eating behavior disorders

Starving yourself during the first part of the day will make you overeat in the evening. Due to excessive hunger, you will feel more stressed and rapidly consume excessive amounts of food, especially unhealthy ones. Skipping meals increases the risk of compulsive eating.

Anxiety and stress

Food also affects our emotions. Hunger and low blood sugar levels increase cortisol levels (the stress hormone). So skipping meals can lead to increased anxiety.

As the study "Eat or Skip Breakfast? The Important Role of Breakfast Quality for Health-Related Quality of Life, Stress and Depression in Spanish Adolescents" (Rosario Ferrer-Cascales et al.), young people who regularly consume a nutritious and healthy breakfast have a lower risk of anxiety and depression. The research highlights that not only the consumption of the meal itself is important, but also its nutritional quality.

It is generally recommended to have three main meals daily (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) along with two healthy snacks, within two hours after each meal. It is important to have breakfast as soon as possible after waking up and dinner at least 2-3 hours before bedtime. The number of snacks can vary from one to three per day, depending on each person's nutritional needs.

The most important benefits of a regular meal schedule are:

• Ensuring optimal nutritional intake – sticking to all meals and snacks allows you to provide your body with all the nutrients it needs. This is not possible if you skip main meals.

• Controlling hunger - a regular meal schedule helps you to keep hunger under control and avoid chaotic eating when you are overly hungry. Snacks help prevent this sensation between meals.

• High energy levels – eating enough meals and snacks on a regular schedule will give you more vitality and energy. Food is the body's main source of energy.

• Optimal digestion - distributing several meals throughout the day, rather than a few large meals, helps to maintain optimal bowel transit, reduce bloating and digestive discomfort.

• Reducing food cravings - regular meals and snacks reduce the risk of frequent "snacking" on various ultra-processed foods (sweets, snacks, pretzels, etc.).

• Improving the relationship with food – following a regular schedule of healthy meals and snacks reduces the risk of developing eating disorders, such as binge eating.

The following strategies can help you gain better control over your daily menu:

• Plan your meals and shopping: It's a good idea to decide in advance on the menu for the upcoming week, as well as the necessary shopping list. This way, you won't run into various obstacles in meal preparation, such as missing ingredients or recipe ideas. You'll also be able to prepare your meals before the intense feeling of hunger drives you to order food or opt for various unhealthy snacks.

• Manage your time better: It might be helpful to set alarms for mealtimes until you get used to your new habits. Good daily activity organization will help you have more time to cook or eat.

• Choose simple and quick meals: If time management is an issue for you, make sure your recipes are simple and quick to prepare. A good strategy is to bake the food in the oven, while you can attend to other chores. Remember to choose healthy recipes, without frying or any excess.

• Opt for simple, nutritious and handy snacks: To control hunger pangs between meals, you need healthy snacks that don't require any preparation or are quick to prepare. Some examples include a piece of fruit, a handful of nuts, a yogurt and muesli, a smoothie or a peanut butter and jam sandwich.

• Prepare your packed lunch at home: Prepare your lunch and snacks in a casserole for the next workday.

• Choose healthy options at restaurants: When you don't have time to cook and want to dine out or order in, opt for healthy options such as grilled/baked fish with a side of rice and grilled/baked vegetables. Choose meals rich in vegetables and cooked using dietary techniques, avoiding fast food.

• Eat mindfully: Set aside distractions, like your laptop or TV. Chew your food well and focus on your meal, to understand your body's hunger and satiety signals.

• Prioritize your health: While it's important to fulfill your duties at work, don't skip your lunch break for the sake of your job. Your health is important, and meals and snacks are contributing factors.

Don't worry if you don't manage to change your meal schedule on the first try. Any change takes time and is easier to maintain in the long term when implemented gradually.

Therefore, skipping meals is an unhealthy habit that can have numerous consequences on your body. If you find it difficult to follow a balanced diet, don't hesitate to seek advice from a registered dietitian nutritionist.