Researchers followed nearly 3,000 older adults in the UK for over 30 years to understand how meal timing changes with age and affects health. They discovered that as people get older, they tend to eat breakfast and dinner later in the day. Importantly, those who ate breakfast later had a higher risk of dying during the study period compared to those who ate breakfast earlier. The study also found that people with health problems like depression, anxiety, or dental issues tended to eat breakfast later. These findings suggest that when older adults eat their meals—especially breakfast—might be a simple way to spot health problems and could help doctors and families support healthier aging.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How the times that older adults eat their meals change as they age, and whether eating at different times is connected to health problems and living longer or shorter lives
  • Who participated: 2,945 older adults living in their own homes in Manchester, UK, who were healthy when the study started. Researchers checked in with them multiple times between 1983 and 2017, asking about when they ate meals and their health
  • Key finding: Older adults who ate breakfast later in the day had a higher risk of dying during the study compared to those who ate breakfast earlier. For example, 89.5% of early breakfast eaters survived 10 years, while only 86.7% of late breakfast eaters did
  • What it means for you: If you’re an older adult, eating breakfast earlier rather than later may be associated with better health outcomes. However, this doesn’t prove that changing breakfast time will extend your life—it may simply be a sign of overall health. Talk to your doctor before making major changes to your eating schedule

The Research Details

This was a long-term follow-up study where researchers tracked the same group of older adults over many years. Between 1983 and 2017, participants answered questions up to five times about when they ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as their health and daily habits. The researchers used statistical methods to look for patterns in how meal times changed as people aged and whether those changes were connected to health problems or death.

The study combined several analysis approaches: they looked at how meal timing changed over time for the whole group, they identified different groups of people with similar eating patterns, and they examined whether people with certain genetic traits (like being naturally a night owl) tended to eat at different times. They also checked whether genes related to weight gain played a role in meal timing.

Following the same people over many decades is powerful because it shows real changes in their lives, not just a snapshot. By collecting information multiple times, researchers could see how meal timing shifted as people aged and got sick. This approach is much stronger than just comparing young and old people at one point in time, because it accounts for the fact that different generations may have different eating habits for reasons unrelated to aging

This study has several strengths: it included a large number of people (nearly 3,000), followed them for a very long time (over 30 years), and had multiple check-ins rather than just one. The researchers used appropriate statistical methods for this type of long-term data. However, the study relied on people remembering and reporting when they ate, which may not be perfectly accurate. The participants were also from one region of the UK and were healthy when the study started, so results may not apply to all older adults everywhere or those with serious health problems from the beginning

What the Results Show

The main finding was that eating breakfast later in the day was linked to a higher risk of death in older adults. Those who ate breakfast earlier had a 10-year survival rate of 89.5%, while those who ate breakfast later had a survival rate of 86.7%. This difference may seem small, but across a large population it represents a meaningful health difference.

As people aged during the study, their meal times shifted later. Older participants tended to eat breakfast later, eat dinner later, and finish eating earlier in the evening (meaning they had a shorter window of time during the day when they were eating). This pattern was consistent across the group.

Health problems were strongly connected to later breakfast times. People who reported fatigue, dental problems, depression, anxiety, or multiple health conditions tended to eat breakfast later than those without these problems. This suggests that later breakfast may be a sign that someone’s health is declining, rather than causing the decline itself.

The study also examined genetic information from participants. People with genes that make them naturally inclined to be night owls (stay up late and wake up late) tended to eat their meals later. However, genes related to weight gain did not seem to influence meal timing. This suggests that our natural sleep-wake rhythm affects when we eat, but our genetic tendency toward weight gain does not. The study found that people’s eating window—the time between their first and last meal of the day—got shorter as they aged, meaning older adults compressed their eating into fewer hours

Previous research has shown that meal timing can affect health in younger people, but less was known about older adults. This study adds important information by showing that meal timing continues to change in older age and that these changes matter for health. The finding that later breakfast is linked to worse outcomes aligns with some earlier research suggesting that eating earlier in the day may be beneficial, though the reasons aren’t completely clear. The connection between health problems and later meal times fits with what doctors know about how illness can disrupt daily routines and eating patterns

The study asked people to report when they ate, which relies on memory and may not be completely accurate. The participants were all living independently and were relatively healthy at the start, so results may not apply to older adults in nursing homes or those with severe health problems. The study was done in the UK, so eating patterns and health care may differ in other countries. While the study shows that later breakfast is connected to higher death rates, it doesn’t prove that eating breakfast later causes death—it may simply be a marker of declining health. People’s meal times were measured at different times of year, which could affect results. Finally, the study couldn’t account for all possible factors that might influence both meal timing and health, such as medication use or changes in living situations

The Bottom Line

If you’re an older adult, consider eating breakfast earlier in the day rather than later, as this appears to be associated with better health outcomes (moderate confidence level based on this observational study). Maintain regular meal times and try to eat meals at consistent times each day. If you notice your meal times shifting significantly later or you’re losing interest in eating, talk to your doctor, as this may signal health problems that need attention. Don’t make drastic changes to your sleep or eating schedule without consulting your healthcare provider, especially if you have existing health conditions

This research is most relevant to older adults (65+) who are generally healthy and living independently. Family members and caregivers of older adults should pay attention to changes in meal timing, as it may indicate declining health. Healthcare providers working with older adults may find meal timing useful as a simple screening tool for health problems. Younger people should not assume these findings apply to them, as aging changes how the body responds to meal timing. People with serious health conditions should work with their doctor rather than making changes based on this study alone

This study tracked people over decades, so any benefits from changing meal timing would likely develop over months to years, not days or weeks. If you change when you eat breakfast, you probably won’t notice immediate differences in how you feel. However, maintaining earlier meal times as you age may help support long-term health. If you’re concerned about your health, talk to your doctor rather than waiting to see if meal timing changes help

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Log the time you eat breakfast each day for 2-4 weeks to establish your baseline, then track whether you’re eating breakfast consistently before 8:00 AM. Note any changes in energy levels, mood, or health symptoms alongside your meal times to identify patterns
  • Set a specific breakfast time (for example, 7:30 AM) and aim to eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up. Use app reminders to prompt you to eat at this time each day. If you find yourself eating breakfast later than usual, note what prevented you from eating earlier (sleep schedule, health issues, etc.) so you can address the underlying cause
  • Track breakfast time weekly and monthly to spot trends. If your breakfast time is gradually shifting later, use this as a signal to check in with yourself about your overall health—are you sleeping later, feeling more tired, or experiencing new health problems? Share this information with your doctor during regular check-ups, as it may help identify health issues early

This study shows a connection between later breakfast and higher death rates in older adults, but does not prove that eating breakfast later causes death. Individual results vary greatly, and many factors affect health and longevity beyond meal timing. This information is for educational purposes only and should not replace medical advice from your doctor. Before making significant changes to your eating schedule, sleep routine, or daily habits, consult with your healthcare provider, especially if you have existing health conditions, take medications, or have concerns about your health. If you experience changes in appetite, meal timing, or eating patterns, contact your doctor to rule out underlying health problems.