KARACHI: Many individuals, despite lesser food intake and regular exercise, still have to deal with the problem of gaining weight and health issues. Health specialists propose that one of the not-so-widely recognized habits, namely eating late at night, may be to blame for these continuous problems.
The majority of people share an understanding that food quantity influences body weight and health however researchers think that meal timing also plays a role.
Reasons Why Meal Timing Is Important
It has been established by research that taking the daily calorie intake mainly in the morning or by evening is a lot healthier than night eating. The body’s energy-burning processes are strictly controlled by the biological clock, which is also responsible for regulating metabolism and other essential functions.
Slowly, as day turns to night, metabolism of the body gets less effective, thus calories are burned more slowly at night.
What the Research States
A very recent study that appeared in the journal Obesity Reviews scrutinized nine clinical trials that involved 485 adults and their weight loss. It was concluded that individuals who took most of their calories in the early hours had lower weights as a result of their eating habits than those who had later intake.
The same researchers also noted that there was an increase in blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, and a decrease in insulin sensitivity among those who had late-night meals.
Another piece of research published in Cell Metabolism in October 2022 has shown that late-night eating makes one prone to obesity and causes weight gain even when the person is on a calorie-reduced diet.
The Detrimental Effects of Late-Night Eating
The 2022 study had the participation of 16 obese individuals. Each of them was given the same meals but at different times. The outcome of the study was that late-night eating resulted in unfavourable changes to the hunger-related hormones, which in turn increased the appetite, reduced the burning of calories, and caused the body to store more fat.
This shows that no matter how little food one takes, it will still be very difficult to avoid adding weight if the meals are on a very late schedule.
A study from Johns Hopkins University to support this found out that the young adults who had their dinner at 10 pm had a lesser fat burning and 20% more glucose in their blood than those having dinner at 6 pm, thereby increasing the risk of diabetes for them in the future.
The Best Time to Eat
According to experts, the body is able to process food in the most effective manner during the morning, when insulin production and sensitivity are at their highest. Insulin sensitivity slowly goes down as night falls and pancreatic activity is reduced.
As well as that, another important element is lipase, which is an enzyme that plays a major role in fat decomposition. It is true that lipase works much more during the night to supply energy for the sleep process, but late-night eating is one of the factors that inhibit its operation thus leading to less fat being broken down.
Healthy Eating Habits to Follow
Nutrition specialists have listed the following habits as essential for keeping one’s weight under control:
Always eat breakfast
Have an early dinner or if not, eat at least 2–3 hours before going to bed
Make dinner the least filling meal of the day
Stick to regular meal times at least five days a week
According to experts, it is not only the quality of the food that you are eating that matters, but also when you are eating that could be crucial in weight maintenance and obesity prevention.
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