Are you a night owl who likes to wake up late and skip breakfast? Habitually skipping breakfast can increase your risk of developing cancers of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, according to a study recently published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. The study found that the risk of stomach and liver cancer increased more than three-fold in people who had breakfast only once or twice a week as compared to those who had it every day. As for those who did not have breakfast at all, they were at more than two times the risk of developing esophageal and colorectal cancers as compared to regulars. The risk of bile duct cancer increased by over five-fold among those who skipped breakfast. The findings are based on a five-year follow-up of nearly 63,000 participants. A total of 369 gastrointestinal cancers were detected among participants during a follow-up. How does skipping breakfast increase the risk of certain cancers? Skipping breakfast can cause inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, which can trigger cancer in the long run. Dr Shailesh Shrikhande, Deputy Director of Mumbai’s Tata Memorial Hospital and a specialist of gastrointestinal cancers, explains: “The secretion of gastric and intestinal juices happens round the clock; it goes up when you eat something. But when you do not eat, the secretion does not stop completely. Fasting for long hours means there is no food for these juices to digest and they start acting on the lining of the stomach and the food pipe, corroding it. The gastric juice, meant for breaking up the food before it goes into the intestine for digestion, is 100 per cent pure hydrochloric acid. This acid constantly works on your stomach and intestinal lining, damaging it and causing a series of pathological changes that can ultimately result in cancer.” That’s why a good breakfast neutralises the build-up of acids and should not be skipped. What should be the gap between meals? It takes about two to four hours to digest any food that has been consumed. “Usually, the stomach empties whatever you eat within two to four hours. So, if you have a meal at 8 or 9 pm, it is appropriate to have breakfast by 6 or 7 am,” says Dr Shrikhande. He adds that the duration between any two meals should not be more than nine to ten hours. “Anything more than that can potentially lead to trouble,” he warns. So, does this mean 8:16 intermittent fasting should be avoided? Dr Shrikhande says that while intermittent fasting has been shown to help in controlling blood glucose levels among people with diabetes, it is not meant for everyone. “Intermittent fasting is specifically meant for people with diabetes-related problems and complications – those who have uncontrolled diabetes. However, there are a huge number of people now who do intermittent fasting for the sake of weight loss. This should not be encouraged,” he adds. He recommends eating a moderate diet and exercising regularly as the best way to keep one’s weight in control. “Just because some people lose weight quickly by a method should not mean everyone else should try it. You should not do crash diets or 16-hour fasting to lose weight fast. It may hurt your body,” he says. What should you eat for breakfast? Breakfast is the meal where healthy adults should aim to consume most of their daily carbohydrates. “Carbohydrates are needed to power your body through the day. Try having muesli, fruits and eggs – this will provide a good balance of fibre, protein, and carbohydrates. You should not have fried food and a lot of carbohydrates for dinner because you do not need that much energy while sleeping,” says Dr Shrikhande.
