Is dining late at night harmful to our health?

Generally accepted advice suggests that eating late at night can lead to weight gain and health complications.

But research has shown that it’s okay to finish dinner at 9:30 p.m. if you also have a late breakfast the next day.

Tim Spector, professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London, conducted a study of 80,000 UK adults. And he looked at different meal times and time windows that people ate. The full results, compiled by personal nutrition company Zoe, won’t be released until the end of this year, but preliminary results show some people can finish their dinner before 9:30 p.m. while staying healthy and avoiding weight issues.

The bottom line is to just eat brunch, ideally at 11:30 or later, to reach the 14-hour fasting window that data shows is achievable for most people and good for metabolism.

In the study, this period of fasting was generally effective for most people, no matter how late they ate at night.

The idea that early dinners are healthier is based largely on very small studies of young people that didn’t take into account fasting intervals or breakfast times, Prof Spector said.

These studies show only a marginal benefit of eating early, so the benefits are thought to be exaggerated.

In the study, those who ate late but fasted for 14 hours a day reported that they had more energy.

Professor Spector suggests that the microbes in our gut, like us, have a circadian rhythm and need to take a break from eating, but people can decide when to take a break based on their daily schedule.

He said: “People often eat late because of work and kids, and they don’t need to feel guilty about it. It’s important to snack at night, try not to have breakfast too early, and try not to go to bed for two hours.” lunch hour.”

Source: Daily Mail