Lose Weight By Skipping Breakfast Completely?

File this one in the same category as the varying studies on the health benefits and detriments of moderate alcohol consumption. One day it's good for you, the next day...not so much.

Historically, a morning meal was associated with gluttony and was actually frowned upon until the 17th century. In modern times, however, we've been told repeatedly that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Now, there's fresh evidence to the contrary. A new study claims people who skip breakfast entirely consume fewer daily calories and weigh less than regular breakfast eaters.

This is a tough one to swallow, because one of our favorite activities is eating breakfast on a Saturday morning at Bite or Raspberries or Sammy's.

The research from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia and published in the British Medical Journal, found skipping breakfast could engender weight loss.

Researchers found that those who DO eat breakfast consume significantly more calories overall than those who forgo the morning meal — breakfast-skippers were found to consume 260 fewer calories per day.

The British Dietetic Association also has research showing breakfast skippers have the following overall traits:

• Ate more balanced diets
• Were less likely to be overweight
• Lost weight more successfully if overweight

But the latest news comes with a qualifier: weight alone is not a complete judge of health, as breakfast has been shown to improve concentration and provide other benefits.