Berlin - Saba:
Scientists from the German Institute of Human Nutrition found in a recently published study that eating a late dinner may impair the body's ability to process glucose, increasing the risk of metabolic diseases.
The online journal "eBioMedicine" reports that the study conducted by scientists from the German Institute of Human Nutrition included 92 volunteers from monozygotic and dizygotic twins. In the first phase, scientists collected data on the participants' health, and over the next five days, the participants kept detailed food diaries that included the exact time of each meal. They also underwent metabolic tests, including a glucose tolerance test.
The researchers found that analyzing mealtime relative to the so-called "mid-sleep" timeframe—the "point" in time between sleep and waking—revealed that the later the participants ate relative to this biological marker, the worse their bodies' ability to process glucose.
The researchers note that even after taking into account other factors—such as age, sex, body weight, diet, physical activity, and chronotype—late mealtime consumption remained statistically significantly associated with metabolic disorders. According to them, this deterioration is linked to a discrepancy between meal timing and the internal biological clock that regulates metabolism.
The researchers emphasize that eating late is not just a bad habit; it is a potential risk factor. Therefore, advancing mealtimes may be an important measure for preventing glucose metabolism disorders and type 2 diabetes.
| more of (International) |