Study Reveals Adverse Effects Of Eating Late

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JAKARTA - Eating late, including late at night, actually affects three main factors in regulating body weight, namely regulation of calorie intake, the number of calories burned, and molecular changes in fat tissue, according to a study from Brigham and Women's Hospital.

As published by Medical Daily on October 6, the study, published in Cell Metabolism, looked at the effects of eating earlier than eating late, while controlling for other important factors such as light exposure, sleep, and physical activity.

The researchers involved 16 participants who were considered overweight or obese. They completed two laboratory protocols of eating early and eating late (four hours late).

They also had a fixed sleep and wake schedule for the two to three weeks prior to the lab protocol, and followed a strict diet at home in the three days leading up to it.

While in the laboratory, the participants documented their hunger and appetite. Important samples such as blood samples, body temperature, energy expenditure, and adipose tissue biopsy, were also collected.

"(We) found eating four hours later made a significant difference to our hunger levels, the way the body burns calories after eating, and the way we store fat," said study researcher Nina Vujovic of Brigham's Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders. Monday.

According to studies, late eating consistently alters physiological functions and biological processes involved in regulating energy intake, expenditure, and storage, and each of these leads to weight gain.

In a recent study, researchers also found that those who ate late in the afternoon and evening experienced increased levels of moods such as depression and anxiety.

The researchers note further study is needed to test its generalizability. For example, there were only five female participants, leading to a lack of representation by gender.