The Hidden Risks of Skipping Dinner: Weight Loss Benefits and Health Concerns

Skipping dinner for an entire month marks a significant shift in dietary routine and can have considerable effects on your body and overall health. While this practice, often aligned with time-restricted eating or intermittent fasting, is promoted for its potential weight loss and metabolic benefits, it may also result in unintended consequences that vary from person to person.

Immediate Changes in the Body

According to Dr. Twincy Ann Sunil, Clinical Dietician and Nutritionist at Apollo Spectra Hospital, Bangalore, the body undergoes immediate physiological changes when you begin skipping dinner.

“By eliminating the evening meal, your overall calorie intake decreases, which can lead to a calorie deficit and potential weight loss,” she explains.
Dr. Sunil notes that glycogen, the stored form of glucose, is quickly used for energy when no food is consumed, causing a drop in blood sugar levels. This can trigger symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, and irritability. In addition, levels of ghrelin — the hormone responsible for signaling hunger — may rise, leading to intensified cravings.

Prolonged suppression of natural hunger signals may also disrupt the body’s natural feeding mechanisms. Moreover, as the body adapts to fewer calories, the metabolic rate may begin to decline to conserve energy.

Potential Long-Term Health Consequences

While the short-term benefits of weight loss may be tempting, Dr. Sunil warns of several long-term health risks associated with consistently skipping dinner:

• Nutritional Deficiencies: Missing a key meal each day can result in inadequate intake of essential nutrients, which weakens the immune system and lowers overall energy levels.
  
  
• Muscle Loss: Without sufficient protein intake, the body may begin to break down muscle tissue to meet energy demands, potentially leading to muscle depletion over time.
  
  
• Slower Metabolism: Prolonged calorie restriction can reduce Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), making weight loss more difficult and increasing the likelihood of weight regain once regular eating patterns resume.
  
  
• Disordered Eating Patterns: Regularly missing meals may lead to unhealthy eating habits, including binge eating or the development of eating disorders.

Effects on Energy, Metabolism, and Cognitive Function

Dr. Sunil also highlights that skipping dinner can directly affect one’s metabolism, energy, and overall functioning throughout the day.

“Avoiding the evening meal may reduce your metabolic rate and energy levels, leaving you feeling lethargic and less productive,” she says.
The body may begin to store fat more efficiently in response to perceived food scarcity, which could counteract initial weight loss efforts. Furthermore, the lack of evening nutrition may impair brain function, reducing the ability to concentrate, retain information, and make decisions.

Who Should Avoid Skipping Dinner?

Dr. Sunil strongly advises against this practice for certain groups, including:

• Children
  
  
• The elderly

Individuals with diabetes or hypoglycemia

Athletes

“Before making significant dietary changes, individuals should consult a healthcare provider. Eating balanced meals throughout the day is essential for maintaining health and ensuring adequate nutrition,” she adds, speaking to indianexpress.com.