When it comes to the importance of eating breakfast, it turns out our mums might have been right this entire time.

A new study has confirmed that regularly skipping our morning meal might be linked to all manner of health problems, from an increased risk of diabetes to a higher likelihood of suffering from heart disease.

And it’s not just breakfast that we should be concerned about: researchers also found that snacking late at night could lead to similar issues.

The study, conducted by researchers from Columbia University and published in the heart health journal Circulation, suggested we should be focusing on both meal times and frequency in order to eat as healthily as possible.

To reach this conclusion, the researchers reviewed a host of previous scientific studies that had examined the importance of eating breakfast. They found that those who skipped this meal were more likely to snack throughout the day, potentially leading to heart problems, obesity and diabetes.

Read more: The UK's best breakfast dishes 

Overall, those who miss out on eating breakfast were found to be 27% more likely to suffer from a heart attack and 18% more likely to have a stroke, while those who feast on snacks late at night were at higher risk of obesity.

The lead author of the study, Professor Marie-Pierre St-Onge, suggested this was due to our bodies expecting regular meals.

"Meal timing may affect health due to its impact on the body's internal clock.” she told The Telegraph.

Of course, it’s not always easy to squeeze a good breakfast into your daily routine.

If you’re pressed for time, you can try Stylis.co.uk’s best breakfast batch recipes here or, if you fancy a change from your routine, you can seek out the UK’s best breakfast meals here.