IT’S the most important meal of the day – but one which 64% of people skip.

A survey has revealed that around two-thirds of Britons miss breakfast.

Most people said they sacrifice breakfast for a few minutes more in bed or to get to work earlier.

And men are more likely than women to miss the most important meal of the day – with 74% of men saying their first meal of the day is often lunch.

But it could have far greater consequences than most people realise.

Vanessa Hansen, clinical lead dietician at the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, said skipping breakfast means people will snack more on unhealthy foods.

The dietician said: “It isn’t just an old wives’ tale that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

“Skipping breakfast makes it less likely that people will get all the nutrition they need and more likely they will snack on unhealthy things during the morning.

“Breakfast cereals are especially good as most of them are fortified with extra vitamins and minerals.”

The survey also reveals that when people do make the time to eat breakfast, it’s usually at work.

More than half (55%) of new mothers admit they skip their morning meal to deal with their children, with 47% of parents saying they find breakfast the most stressful time of the day.

Angela Tella, a dietician and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association (BDA), warned: “Breakfast is a very important meal and provides a lot of nutrients such as glucose, that aid concentration and mental strength.

“And research shows that people who eat breakfast are generally slimmer, so I’d be interested to know the weights of the people surveyed.”

She added that eating cereal with milk also gives the body important sources of nourishment including zinc, iron, vitamin B and calcium.

Research by Kellogg’s shows that 190,000 children don’t eat breakfast before they leave for school, although more schools are running breakfast clubs which include healthy foods.

A total of 2,500 families from across the UK were polled in food company Dr Oetker Onken’s Great British Breakfast survey.