Late-night eating may influence how the body processes food, stores fat and regulates appetite, potentially increasing the risk of weight gain, according to research from Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
The findings suggest that when people eat may matter alongside what and how much they eat. Researchers found that delaying meals was associated with changes in hormones and metabolic processes linked to hunger and fat storage.
Study examined people with overweight or obesity
The research involved 16 participants who were overweight or living with obesity. Each participant completed two six-day meal-timing experiments under controlled conditions, with their food intake carefully regulated.
During one experiment, participants followed an earlier meal schedule, eating breakfast at 9am, lunch at 1pm and dinner at 6pm.
In the second experiment, the same participants followed a later eating schedule, with dinner delayed.
Researchers collected blood samples and assessed participants’ appetite and metabolic responses during both experiments.
Late meals affected appetite and metabolism
The results indicated that eating later was associated with increased hunger and changes in the body’s ability to burn energy.
Researchers also observed changes in processes involved in how the body stores fat. These findings suggest that late eating may create physiological conditions that could make weight management more difficult.
The study builds on earlier research examining the relationship between meal timing, metabolism and body weight, while providing more detailed evidence about the biological mechanisms that may be involved.
Meal timing may be one factor in weight management
Researchers said eating earlier could potentially support better energy balance and make weight management easier. However, meal timing is only one factor affecting body weight, alongside overall diet, physical activity, sleep, genetics and other lifestyle and environmental factors.
The researchers also noted that obesity is associated with an increased risk of several health conditions, including type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.
The study’s authors said further research involving larger groups of people is needed to better understand how meal timing interacts with behaviour and environmental factors.
The findings were published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
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