New research suggests that not just what we eat, but also when we eat, plays an important role in managing body weight.
A study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found that two specific habits—eating an early breakfast and extending the overnight fast—are linked to a lower body mass index (BMI) over time.
The research was conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) and involved over 7,000 volunteers aged 40-65.
The study is part of the GCAT | Genomes for Life cohort project, led by the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP).
Participants answered questionnaires in 2018 about their weight, height, eating habits (including meal times), and lifestyle factors like socioeconomic status.
Five years later, more than 3,000 of the participants returned for a follow-up, where their weight and eating patterns were measured again.
The findings suggest that having a longer overnight fast, paired with eating an early breakfast and dinner, could help maintain a healthy weight.
According to Luciana Pons-Muzzo, a researcher at ISGlobal during the study, this may be because eating earlier in the day aligns better with our natural circadian rhythms, which control processes like calorie burning and appetite regulation.
However, the researchers caution that it’s too early to make firm recommendations, as more evidence is needed.
“Our results suggest that eating earlier in the day could help with weight management, but we need stronger proof before giving concrete advice,” Pons-Muzzo said.
The researchers also found interesting differences between men and women. Women in the study generally had a lower BMI, were more likely to follow a Mediterranean diet, and had healthier lifestyles compared to men. They were also more likely to be responsible for household or family duties, and reported poorer mental health.
A small group of men in the study, who regularly ate their first meal after 2:00 p.m. and fasted for 17 hours overnight, stood out for their unhealthy habits. These men were more likely to smoke, drink alcohol, get less physical activity, and follow unhealthy diets. This pattern was not observed among women.
The study also touched on intermittent fasting, specifically overnight fasting. Camille Lassale, a senior co-author of the study, explained that skipping breakfast—one form of intermittent fasting—did not appear to have an effect on body weight in men.
Other studies on people with obesity have shown that skipping meals is no more effective for long-term weight loss than simply cutting calories.
This study is part of a growing field of research called “chrononutrition,” which looks not only at what we eat but also at when and how often we eat. According to Anna Palomar-Cros, another researcher involved in the study, this area of research examines how irregular eating patterns may disrupt the body’s circadian rhythms, leading to negative health outcomes.
This research builds on earlier ISGlobal studies, which found that eating dinner and breakfast earlier in the day was linked to a lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
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Source: KSR.
