Skipping breakfast has pretty consistently been linked to health risks – high blood pressure, overweight, and an unhealthy assortment of blood-fats, among them. But what’s interesting is that the health effects of skipping breakfast – even being overweight – don’t seem to be the result of indulging in extra “make-up” meals throughout the day. So it’s not about just the calories: There seems to be something else at play. The short answer may be that skipping the early meal keeps your body in the stressful state of fasting for longer, which can disrupt your metabolism in considerable and, apparently, life-threatening, ways.