A new study appears to confirm that breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.

The 16-year study has found that men who skip breakfast may have a higher risk of suffering a heart attack or dying from coronary heart disease.

US scientists monitored almost 27,000 male healthcare professionals aged between 45 and 82 from 1992 to 2008. They found that those who opted not to eat breakfast had a 27% increased risk of suffering a heart attack or dying from coronary heart disease compared to men who did eat breakfast.

The study noted that those most likely to skip breakfast tended to be younger. They were also more likely to be employed full-time, unmarried and less physically active. They also tended to be smokers and heavier drinkers of alcohol.

The study also found that men who admitted to eating late at night - i.e. eating after they had gone to bed - also had a 55% increased risk of developing coronary heart disease. However, the scientists said they were not overly concerned about this as few men ate this late.

"Skipping breakfast may lead to one or more risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, which may in turn lead to a heart attack over time," suggested the study's lead author, Dr Leah Cahill, of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

While this study involved mostly white men of European descent, the scientists believe that the findings probably also apply to women and other ethnicities, although they called for further research to confirm this.

Dr Cahill called on people to make sure they eat breakfast every day.

"Don't skip breakfast. Eating breakfast is associated with a decreased risk of heart attacks. Incorporating many types of healthy foods into your breakfast is an easy way to ensure your meal provides adequate energy and a healthy balance of nutrients, such as protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals," she said.

Details of these findings are published in the journal, Circulation.

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