Science of Chrononutrition: Timing Meals for Optimal Health
Meal timing has long been a topic of concern, with late-night eating habits often seen as a potential contributor to health problems such as obesity. Recent scientific studies have delved into the relationship between meal timing and health, giving rise to the field of chrononutrition. This emerging discipline explores how the body’s circadian rhythms, nutrition, and health intersect and may offer insights into preventing or treating conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
Marishka Brown, Ph.D., director of NHLBI’s National Center on Sleep Disorders Research, highlights the potential of chrononutrition in addressing chronic conditions. However, further research is needed to develop personalized interventions that can enhance health and quality of life.
Nour Makarem, Ph.D., an epidemiology assistant professor at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, underscores the importance of considering when we eat, not just what we eat, given the significant shift in meal timings and erratic eating patterns in modern lifestyles.
Early studies, including research funded by the NHLBI, showed that altering feeding times in mice had a significant impact on weight gain. Similar findings were observed in human studies, with late lunch eaters showing slower weight loss progress.
Recent studies have begun to uncover the biological mechanisms linking late eating to chronic diseases, such as increased blood glucose levels. Factors like the type of food consumed, appetite hormones, genetics, exercise, and light exposure also play roles in the effects of meal timing on health.
Despite progress, knowledge gaps persist, including understanding why nutrients consumed later in the day affect the body differently, circadian biomarkers, and cultural and psychological factors influencing eating habits. Researchers are working on defining late eating and conducting more studies to address these gaps.
In the future, personalized nutrition plans based on genetic makeup and potential drugs to counteract the negative effects of late-night eating are being explored. Large clinical trials may be necessary to advance personalized nutrition in this field.
For now, experts recommend adopting the familiar adage, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper,” alongside a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise, nutritious food, and quality sleep.
