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Study shows: Eating late puts your health at risk!
Researchers are studying how late eating times affect glucose metabolism and health risks. New insights into nutrition and chronobiology.
Study shows: Eating late puts your health at risk!
Eating late is part of everyday life for many, but doctors warn: The timing of food intake can have a decisive impact on our health. In a recent study, researchers from Germany found that eating at night can not only increase the risk of obesity, but also of serious metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. According to the results of research led by Professor Olga Ramich, people who eat their main meals late in the day show poorer insulin sensitivity and are at higher risk of health problems.
For their analysis, the scientists used data from 46 pairs of monozygotic and dizygotic twins without diabetes from the NUGAT study and asked the test subjects to record their eating habits in a diary. It turned out that most people had their first meal at 9:15 a.m. on average, while their last meal was often not until 8:12 p.m. Up to 60 percent of meal times are genetically determined, which explains why some people find it difficult to change their habits despite all their good intentions [Focus].
Safe food intake: biological rhythm counts
Circadian rhythms play an essential role in metabolism and influence how and when our bodies process food. Humans are evolutionarily designed to be diurnal creatures, which means that our bodies are geared towards regeneration and not digestion at night. A general pattern emerges: food is processed more poorly at night, which can lead to weight gain. [NDR].
Researchers in the NUGAT study found that a circadian caloric midpoint - the time when half of the daily calorie requirement was consumed - was on average at 3:51 p.m. This means that earlier calorie intake is not only beneficial for insulin sensitivity, but also correlates with a lower body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. Eating late, on the other hand, has the opposite effect and could lead to stress factors accumulating higher in the body, which in the long term leads to metabolic disorders.
Conclusion: A rethink is required
In order to promote your own metabolism and reduce the risk of illness, experts recommend rethinking your diet. Those who eat earlier can not only control their weight better, but also improve their insulin sensitivity. It is recommended to take longer meal breaks, especially in the evening. This is where intermittent fasting could be a helpful strategy that not only regulates eating behavior but also offers potential health benefits. But as with any change, anyone who agrees to new meal times should be aware that genetic factors play a significant role, so implementing such changes can take some time, as Univadis confirms.