Studies indicate that the hour you sit down for dinner can have a real impact on health, particularly on blood sugar regulation. And this appears to be the case regardless of what you’re actually eating.
Meal timing and circadian rhythm
VeryWellHealth notes that "insulin sensitivity changes throughout the day to align with your body’s circadian rhythm". In other words, meal timing may matter as much as, or even more than, meal content - though moderation is still advised. The experts add: "Eating counter to these biological rhythms may lead to impaired glucose control over time."
Diabetes.co.uk also warns that people with an "impaired glucose tolerance" could "face a much greater risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease." It adds that understanding how to reduce this risk - and "treating impaired glucose tolerance may help to prevent diabetes development and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease".
Best time for dinner
Specialists say there’s no single 'perfect' dinnertime that suits everyone, though many people may benefit from choosing a consistent window that works for their own routine and body. VeryWellHealth also notes that "eating dinner more than two hours before bed may improve blood sugar control."
They continue: "While there is no single perfect dinnertime for everyone, a randomised controlled study found that having dinner within two hours of bedtime impairs the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar after a meal. The results suggest that avoiding dinner near bedtime may help support healthier glucose regulation by synchronising food intake with your body’s natural circadian rhythms."
Research findings on early dinners
A randomised crossover trial of healthy adults, which tracked participants using continuous glucose monitoring, found that having dinner earlier at 6pm "improved both 24-hour blood glucose control and lipid metabolism at breakfast the next morning". Researchers reported this effect when comparing the early meal with the same dinner eaten later at 9pm.
Another study showed eating a late dinner at 10pm "was associated with higher overnight blood glucose, higher insulin concentrations, and lower fatty acid oxidation in a group of healthy adults, compared with eating the same meal" at 6pm.
Not only this, but according to a study published on the National Library of Medicine, "studies show that consuming meals later in the day is associated with an elevated prevalence of metabolic disorders, while early time-restricted eating, such as having an early breakfast and an earlier dinner, improves levels of glucose in the blood and substrate oxidation. Circadian hormones, including cortisol and melatonin, interact with mealtimes and play vital roles in regulating metabolic processes".
This research suggests people may be able to support overall health by timing meals to better align with the body’s internal clock. It also suggests that understanding how to prevent impaired glucose tolerance could help lower the chances of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
