A bad start to the day

Beginning the day without food is the most accurate marker of an unhealthy lifestyle, researchers revealed last week. Those who skip breakfast tend to smoke more, drink more alcohol and take less exercise.

Every day one in 10 of us doesn't eat breakfast - but just as damaging can be those who grab a morning snack on the hoof. So how unhealthy is yours?
Large black coffee

5 calories, 0g fat

The caffeine in coffee gives an instant lift, but if you don't eat something at the same time you won't get the follow-through energy needed to keep you going all morning.

Filtered coffee is better for the heart: cafetiere or percolated coffee contains "greasy" residues which increase blood cholesterol.

Blueberry muffin and smoothie

483 calories, 22g fat
Top marks for the smoothie - it counts as a healthy fruit portion. But don't kid yourself the blueberry muffin is healthy - it may contain a tiny amount of fruit but in every other aspect it's just a big fat cake with more than one-fifth of a man's daily fat allowance.

Cappuccino and almond croissant
500 calories, 28g fat

A whole-milk cappuccino in a regular (12oz) cup contains 135 calories and 7g fat. Add to that an almond croissant - which is not far from being just flaky crumbly fat - and you're up to nearly 30 per cent of a man's daily fat limit, with 50 per cent of his limit of cholesterol-raising saturates.

Cut out about 50 calories and 6.8g fat by opting for a skinny cappuccino. A plain croissant gives a further saving of 131 calories and 7g fat, but is still not healthy.

Streaky-bacon sandwich and a cup of tea
591 calories, 37g fat

Tea supplies small amounts of dietary antioxidants. But if it is served with a generous helping of streaky bacon, the bacon sandwich will contain nearly 40 per cent of a man's recommended intake of saturated fat and 4.2g of the recommended 6g-a-day salt intake.

Cereal bar, banana and bottle of water

185 calories, 2g fat
Not that bad - depending on your definition of a "cereal" bar. An oaty, fruity flapjack may seem like the prefect healthy option but it can contain nearly 350 calories and 16g fat. Better options are low-fat cereal-and-milk bars or bars that include healthy nuts or seeds.

Mars bar and can of Coke

433 calories, 10.8g fat
This unhealthy combination supplies 79g sugars - when the healthy daily intake for a man is 70g. The result is a fast high but crashing energy levels later. And the calories are virtually empty - providing very few vitamins and minerals.