Nutrients: meal timing affects the occurrence of metabolic disorders.
An international group of researchers has presented a review that changes the conventional understanding of how excess weight is formed and why metabolic disorders occur. According to the study published in the journal Nutrients, a key factor may not only be the composition of the diet but also the precise timing of meals — the so-called chrononutrition.
Scientists explain that a complex system of circadian rhythms operates in the body — internal "clocks" that regulate hormones, metabolism, liver function, pancreatic activity, and adipose tissue. When a person eats at times when the body is biologically programmed to rest (for example, late in the evening), a desynchronization occurs between these clocks and the actual intake of energy. This disrupts insulin production, worsens cell sensitivity to glucose, and promotes fat accumulation.
According to clinical and laboratory research data, shifting the majority of calorie intake to the first half of the day significantly improves metabolic indicators: it lowers blood sugar levels, reduces insulin resistance, normalizes lipid profiles, and aids in weight loss even without strict calorie counting. The most pronounced effect is observed with early time-restricted feeding, where meals occur within a window that ends in the early to mid-afternoon.
The authors note that the desynchronization of eating and internal clocks is particularly harmful for at-risk groups: adolescents with irregular schedules, older adults, and night shift workers. They emphasize that aligning eating patterns is a cheap and potentially very effective measure for the prevention of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
