Breakfast timing may increase diabetes risk

Spanish scientists have found that eating breakfast after 9am increases the risk of type 2 diabetes by 59% compared to eating before 8am. Skipping breakfast increases the risk of developing the disease.

Research from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health also shows that eating late at night (after 10pm) also causes similar harm. The analysis results noted that people who eat many small meals are healthier than those who eat fewer meals but consume large amounts at each time.

Lead author Dr Manolis Kogevinas said: "Our results demonstrate that eating the first meal before 8am and the last meal before 7pm reduces the incidence of type 2 diabetes."

According toThe Sun,Experts explain that this effect is due to the fact that metabolism needs to be in line with the body's internal clock, also known as the circadian rhythm. The body's biological clock responds to light, with daytime being the signal to wake up and when darkness falls, you need to go to sleep. Your diet should follow this rule.

Previous studies have suggested that eating out of sync with your circadian rhythm may increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes and being overweight.

Diabetes is a serious condition in which blood sugar levels are too high. This is caused by the body not producing enough insulin or by insulin not working properly. Insulin is the hormone that unlocks the body's cells to let glucose in - otherwise, glucose builds up in the blood.

There are two main types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2 - both are serious but different.

If a person has type 1, the body does not produce any insulin. Whereas type 2 means the body lacks insulin or the insulin does not work effectively and is related to lifestyle.

About 90% of diabetics have type 2.

The disease is common in older people. But experts warn diabetes is increasing at a faster rate in people under 40 than in those over 40.

Common signs of the disease include going to the bathroom frequently, especially at night, being very thirsty, feeling more tired than usual, unintentional weight loss, genital itching, cuts and wounds that take longer to heal, and blurred vision.

Symptoms of the disease arise because glucose is not used for energy and accumulates in the blood. These signs are common in both children and adults.

However, adults with type 1 diabetes may have a harder time recognizing their symptoms.