What Percent of People Skip Dinner and Why It's Harmful

January 13, 2026 •

3 min read

Studies reveal that while breakfast is the most frequently missed meal, a significant portion of the population also skips dinner, with rates in young adults ranging from 5% to 47%. This widespread practice often stems from busy schedules, weight control concerns, or simply not feeling hungry, but it can have adverse effects on health.

Quick Summary

Rates of skipping dinner vary significantly across studies, but it is a less common habit than skipping breakfast. Factors influencing this behavior include lack of time, weight management goals, and gender, with young women more likely to skip dinner. Long-term consequences can disrupt metabolism, leading to potential weight gain and various nutritional deficiencies.

Key Points

Prevalence Varies: The proportion of people who skip dinner ranges significantly, but is generally less common than skipping breakfast, with various studies reporting rates from 5% to 47% in young adult populations.
Common Reasons Include Time and Weight Control: Major factors driving people to skip dinner are busy schedules and efforts to manage weight, especially among young women.
Metabolism Can Slow Down: Regularly skipping dinner can cause the body's metabolism to slow down, as it enters a fat-storing 'survival mode', which can paradoxically hinder weight loss.
Nutritional Deficiencies Are a Risk: Eliminating dinner can reduce daily nutrient intake, increasing the likelihood of developing deficiencies in essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Hormonal Imbalance Affects Mood and Cravings: Skipped meals can disrupt appetite-regulating hormones, leading to intense cravings for unhealthy foods and causing mood swings due to fluctuating blood sugar levels.

Dinner Skipping Statistics and Trends

Studies show that the percentage of people who skip dinner varies. A 2016 review indicated rates from 5% to 47% in young adults, while other research suggests dinner is less frequently skipped compared to breakfast and lunch. Reasons for skipping dinner include lack of time due to busy schedules, particularly in young adults. Weight control is another factor, especially among women, and some people skip dinner if they are not hungry after a late lunch or snacking.

Health Consequences of Skipping Dinner

Skipping dinner regularly can negatively impact health. It can lead to slowed metabolism and potential weight gain rather than loss, as the body may store fat due to perceived starvation. This can result in a cycle of extreme hunger and consuming unhealthy foods later, disrupting natural hunger cues.

Hormonal Imbalances: Skipping meals affects hormones like ghrelin and leptin, potentially leading to overeating.
Blood Sugar Fluctuations: Low blood sugar from an empty stomach can increase cortisol, causing irritability and difficulty concentrating.
Nutrient Deficiencies: Missing dinner can lead to lower intake of essential vitamins and minerals.
Sleep Disruption: Going to bed hungry can result in poor sleep quality and impact mood and energy.

Short-Term vs. Long-Term Effects

Skipping dinner can have both immediate and lasting effects. Short-term effects include fatigue, mood swings, and poor concentration from low blood glucose, and late-night cravings can negate any calorie deficit.


Consequence	Short-Term Effect	Long-Term Effect
Metabolism	Temporary decrease in blood sugar and energy.	Sustained slowing of metabolic rate, making weight loss difficult.
Weight Management	Potential for immediate weight loss, but often leads to unhealthy snacking.	Increased risk of weight gain and obesity due to hormonal and metabolic changes.
Nutrient Intake	One meal's worth of nutrients is missed.	Chronic deficiencies in essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Mental Health	Mood swings, irritability, and anxiety from blood sugar drops.	Increased risk of eating disorders and generalized anxiety.
Digestion	Increased stomach acid, potentially causing heartburn or nausea.	Irregular bowel movements and potential long-term digestive issues.

The Role of Meal Timing and Fasting

Intermittent fasting (IF) is distinct from simply skipping dinner. Controlled IF protocols involve planned eating windows and focus on nutritional balance, whereas unstructured meal skipping can lead to negative health outcomes. Late-night eating might also affect weight regulation by disrupting circadian rhythms.

Conclusion

While the exact percentage of people who skip dinner varies, it is a practice, especially among young adults, driven by factors like time and weight concerns. However, regularly missing dinner can lead to health risks such as metabolic issues, nutrient deficiencies, and poor mental well-being. A healthier approach involves balanced, timely meals. Consulting a nutritionist is recommended for those struggling with meal skipping to create a plan addressing their individual needs.

Key Learnings

Dinner Skipping Rates Vary: The percentage of people who skip dinner is less than for breakfast but still significant, with various studies reporting rates from 5% to 47% in young adult populations.
Reasons Are Diverse: Common motivations include busy schedules, lack of hunger, and weight control efforts, particularly among young women.
Negative Health Consequences: Skipping dinner can cause slowed metabolism, weight gain, nutritional deficiencies, mood swings, and disrupted sleep patterns.
Metabolic Disruption: The body may enter a "starvation mode," prompting it to conserve energy by storing fat, which undermines weight loss goals.
Hormones and Cravings: Irregular eating patterns disrupt hormones like ghrelin and leptin, leading to intense cravings for unhealthy foods and causing mood swings due to fluctuating blood sugar levels.
Different from Intermittent Fasting: Unstructured meal skipping is not the same as a controlled intermittent fasting protocol and can lead to more negative health outcomes.
Consultation is Advised: For weight management or health concerns, consulting a dietitian is recommended instead of relying on meal skipping.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, regularly skipping dinner is not a sustainable or healthy weight loss strategy. It can cause your metabolism to slow down and may lead to intense hunger, often resulting in late-night snacking and consuming more calories than you saved.

In the short term, skipping dinner can lead to low blood sugar levels, causing fatigue, irritability, mood swings, and difficulty concentrating.

Skipping a meal can trigger a 'starvation mode' in your body, signaling it to conserve energy by slowing down your metabolism and storing fat more efficiently for survival.

Yes, regularly missing dinner reduces your overall daily nutrient intake, increasing the risk of deficiencies in important vitamins, minerals, and fiber essential for your health.

Yes, going to bed hungry can negatively affect your sleep quality, causing discomfort and potentially disrupting your circadian rhythm. Poor sleep can further impact metabolism and hormone balance.

While some intermittent fasting (IF) methods involve skipping dinner, IF is a controlled eating plan. Unstructured skipping of dinner, which is driven by busyness or poor planning, often results in the negative health consequences that controlled fasting aims to avoid.

Research suggests that young adults, particularly young women, are more prone to skipping dinner. Factors like busy schedules, weight concerns, and hormonal influences play a role in this trend.