Eating Time Can Seriously Affect Metabolic Health, New Study Says

A scientific link between obesity and late eating is well established, but the exact mechanism of this association has somewhat stumped scientists. Evidently, the timing of meals1 may have a larger impact on metabolic health than we thought, according to a new study from Cell Metabolism.

Researchers from Harvard University, University of Chicago, and other academic institutions designed a robust randomized controlled trial that controlled nutrient intake, physical activity, sleep, and even light exposure to determine the impact of late versus early eating.

When compared to early eating (i.e., beginning meal intake one hour after waking up in the morning), late eating (i.e., beginning meals five hours after waking) led to:

In other words? Eating later is the perfect storm for metabolic health issues. For those with adiposity concerns, delaying meals (especially breakfast!) may contribute to appetite disregulation and energy balance challenges.

That said, changing the timing of meals isn't the only way to support a healthy, active metabolism. For individuals looking for science-backed and targeted nutritional support, a holistic metabolism supplement like mindbodygreen's metabolism+ (which includes clinically researched botanicals like cayenne pepper, veld grape, and EGCG and caffeine from green tea) can help optimize metabolic efficiency, activate calorie burn and fat metabolism, and support energy balance and satiety.*