How does eating late dinner affect health?

Many people focus on choosing what to eat for dinner, with the desire to eat delicious and nutritious food. But the time of meal is also an important factor.

The time of eating, the food and nutrition in the meal are all important to health - Illustration photo

Studies show that besides what you eat, when you eat is also an important factor affecting your health.

Why is meal timing important?

According to Dr. Frank Scheer, director of the chronobiology program at Brigham and Women's Hospital, humans have a "biological clock" that regulates physiology and behavior. This means that a meal can have different effects on your health depending on when you eat it.

Dr. Daisy Duan, assistant professor of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, also said this in her study. The study collected data from 20 young, healthy people who ate dinner at two different times: 6 and 10 p.m.

When eating late, blood sugar levels rise more and fat processing is reduced compared to after an earlier meal.

Eating dinner late can also have different effects, regardless of whether a person eats right before bed or takes time to digest before sleep, according to one of Dr. Duan's recent experiments.

Other research by Dr. Scheer suggests that melatonin—a hormone the body releases at night to prepare for sleep—plays a role in this process. Increased melatonin levels seem to interfere with the body's ability to regulate blood sugar, leading to higher and longer-lasting spikes in blood sugar after eating, he explains.

Scheer and his colleagues have also shown in laboratory studies that people who eat late dinners tend to feel hungrier and burn fewer calories than when they eat earlier in the day, and that late eating also triggers changes at the tissue level that can promote fat storage.

How does eating late at night affect your health?

According to Dr. Duan, eating late at night can lead to an increased risk of diseases such as obesity or type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, consuming calories during the day can make it easier to lose weight and improve metabolism. "For most people, it's best to limit your food intake at night," Dr. Scheer said.

Meal timing doesn’t just affect metabolism. Another recent study found that people who didn’t eat after 6 p.m. had better sleep quality than those who continued snacking until midnight.

The right time to eat dinner

According to Dr. Duan, to ensure metabolism, you should limit eating late. She believes that you should eat dinner at least 2 hours before going to bed. Associate Professor, Dr. Collin Popp, Department of Population Health, Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, believes that 5-7 pm is the ideal time to eat dinner.

However, sometimes a busy workplace can force you to eat late. Don't worry if it's only occasional, says Associate Professor Popp. He told Health magazine that you should just avoid eating a large meal right before bed.

In fact, research generally suggests that dinner shouldn't be the largest meal of the day, contrary to popular American practice. "Eat the majority of your calories in the morning after you wake up or around midday," says Popp.

How to always eat on time?

If you're used to eating late because of your schedule or cravings, switching to earlier mealtimes can be quite difficult.

To make the transition easier, Popp suggests starting early in the day. If you regularly skip breakfast and grab a quick lunch at your desk, you’re more likely to be hungry in the evening.

He also suggests prioritizing meals earlier in the day and making sure they contain plenty of protein, fiber, and healthy fats so you don't get too hungry in the evening. Some people also find it helpful to set a specific "cutoff time," stopping eating after a certain time, rather than vaguely trying to eat earlier.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/an-toi-muon-co-anh-huong-nhu-the-nao-den-suc-khoe-20250706080515411.htm