Skipping breakfast and eating dinner just before going to sleep can help worsen the impacts of a heart attack, a new study says.

Researchers from São Paolo State University in Brazil examined how some eating habits can affect the health of people with heart problems.

They found that patients who tend to skip eating breakfast or eat their dinner right before bedtime were four to five times more likely to develop chest pain (angina), suffer another heart attack, or even die within 30 days after being discharged from the hospital due to a previous attack.

The study involved people diagnosed with acute coronary syndromes. Participants were surveyed regarding their eating behaviors after they were admitted to coronary intensive care unit.

The researchers defined skipping breakfast as having nothing to eat before lunch at least three times a week. This excluded beverages such as water or coffee.

On the other hand, eating late-night dinner was defined as having a meal within two hours before patients went to bed for at least three times every week.

As much as 58 percent of patients skip breakfast, 51 percent have late-night dinners, and 41 percent practiced both eating habits.

Wrong Eating Habits And Heart Problems

The research team focused its investigation on people with a serious form of heart attack known as ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Dr. Marcos Minicucci, one of the authors of the study, explained how the heart condition impacts the lives of many patients.

"One in ten patients with STEMI dies within a year, and nutrition is a relatively inexpensive and easy way to improve prognosis," he said.

To help reduce the chance of worsening the heart ailment, Minicucci recommends keeping at least a two-hour interval between eating dinner and going to bed in the evening.

He also brought up the importance of eating breakfast. He said a good meal in the morning should consist of dairy products, carbohydrates, and whole fruits.

An ideal choice for dairy products can include yogurt, cheese, and low fat or fat-free milk. Meanwhile, carbohydrates can be made up of bagels, cereals, and whole wheat bread.

Minicucci said breakfast should have between 15 to 35 percent of the recommended total daily calorie intake.

Other Research Findings

Patients who skipped breakfast and eat late-night dinners were also found to have other unhealthy habits. These included smoking and not having enough physical activity regularly.

The study showed that these two eating behaviors can lead to poor outcomes following a heart attack. However, engaging in a number of bad habits can only worsen the situation even more.

Minicucci explained that individuals who tend to work late are likely to eat a late-night dinner, and then skip breakfast the next morning because they are not much hungry.

The researchers believe endothelial function, inflammatory response, and oxidative stress may also be linked to the association between cardiovascular problems and bad eating habits.

The findings of the São Paolo State University study are featured in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, which is part of the European Society of Cardiology.