Eating a late dinner may contribute to weight gain and high blood sugar, a new study has found, shedding new light into how meal patterns and timing may affect the body’s regulation of sugar.
Overweight and obesity are risk factors for a number of health problems including diabetes and high blood pressure The study team found that late dinner increases caloric accumulation because of the slowed metabolism at night time. However, they suggest that the effect of late night eating varies between people and depends on their usual bedtime.
The researchers studied the effects of late night eating on body weight using 20 healthy volunteers. The volunteers all went to bed at 11pm after eating at 10 pm, compared to 6pm. The study team found that blood sugar levels were higher and the amount of fat burned was much lower with the late dinner even when the same meals were served at both times.
The team reported that late dinner increased the blood sugar levels by about 18 percent and reduced the amount of fat burned overnight by about 10 percent compared to eating at an earlier time. The researchers note that these changes, which were seen in healthy volunteers, may be worse in obese or diabetic patients.
Read more here – https://www.endocrine.org/news-and-advocacy/news-room/2020/people-who-eat-a-late-dinner-may-gain-weight
