Regularly eating after 8pm leads us to pile on the pounds, research suggests.
Men and women who often dine late in the evening typically have waistlines two inches bigger than those who eat earlier, a study found. This is the equivalent of two dress sizes for a woman.
Scientists think it could be because we have evolved to use up energy during daylight hours – so our body’s mechanisms slow down as night draws in and we ready for sleep.
This means the rate at which we process food is diminished. ‘To have big meals in the evening can contribute to weight gain,’ said Patricia Lopez-Legarrea from the Autonomous University of Chile.
The UK has Europe’s second highest rate of obesity – defined as having a BMI over 30.
In her study, Dr Lopez-Legarrea analysed data on almost 5,500 Chileans. For those who ate late, the average BMI – a measure of weight in proportion to height – was around half a point higher.
This means an extra two or three pounds in weight for a woman who is 5ft 4in tall, the European Obesity Summit in Gothenburg heard.
Dr Lopez-Legarrea said the body clock produces optimal levels of appetite enzymes and hormones during daylight hours.
She added: “My advice would be in the direction of having a bigger breakfast and lunch, with a snack in the afternoon.”
Professor Jason Halford, a psychologist at the University of Liverpool, said: “It may well be that the peaks and troughs of satiety hormones are affected by the light-dark cycle.”
“What we don’t know is whether those who ate after 8pm had a different type of meal to those who ate earlier.”
