Skipping breakfast and depression: What research says about the possible link

A 2025 meta-analysis of 12 studies found skipping breakfast was associated with higher rates of depression.
The studies disagreed substantially, so the strength of that link is less settled than the headline suggests.
A separate genetic study found breakfast skipping predicted depression, but depression did not predict breakfast skipping.
Researchers think the link may run through cortisol, which rises when people go long periods without eating.

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