Research shows the time you eat breakfast may be linked to the length of your life.

What time did you eat breakfast as a child? What about now? Chances are it's later than it used to be. 

A study in Nature followed the lives of nearly 3000 older adults over the course of three decades and analyzed eating habits. The data showed that as we age, we tend to start eating later, have a later eating midpoint, and a shorter daily eating window.

Scientists examined how these three factors link to illness, behaviour, and mortality. They found that people with mental or physical health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and fatigue, were most prevalent is people who ate a later breakfast. Those who ate a breakfast sooner upon waking also had an increased survival rate—89.5 percent over 10 years versus 86.7 percent. It was shown that each additional hour of putting off breakfast after waking could lead up to a 1.11 percent increased in odds of mortality.

See more: 10 Anti-Inflammatory Breakfasts To Start Your Day

When should you eat breakfast?

There has been lots of research on the benefits and drawbacks to fasting, but studies consistently show that eating upon waking is better for your overall health than waiting closer to lunch. One study in the National Library of Medicine found that 9 a.m. was the latest ideal time to eat breakfast for reducing the risk type 2 diabetes. Although the jury is still out on what the exact timing of your meal should be, experts generally agree that waiting 12 hours between dinner and breakfast helps your microbiome function at its best.

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