Gaby
A new seven-year study conducted by a team from the University of Sorbonne Paris-Nord involved 100,000 volunteers. Each participant filled out 15 food diaries, meticulously recording information about their meal times on both weekdays and weekends.
One-third of the participants dined the earliest—before 8:00 PM. Another third ate between 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM, and the final third ate after 9:00 PM.
Over the course of seven years, researchers documented around 2,000 cases of cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes.
Among volunteers who dined later—after 9:00 PM—micro-strokes or strokes occurred 28 percent more frequently than among those who ate before 9:00 PM.
What the Researchers Found
According to the scientists, eating late raises blood sugar levels and blood pressure.
Elevated blood pressure in the evening, when it typically should be lower, can over time damage blood vessels and increase the risk of clot formation, which can lead to strokes and heart attacks.
“My grandmother warned me not to eat too late, and this study shows that there was some truth to that advice,” said Dr. Bernard Srour, the senior author of the study.
He noted that many people today work around the clock, seven days a week, and often lack time for meals. As a result, many tend to eat late in the evening. “But those who have late dinners because they think they are too busy to eat earlier are putting their health at risk,” Dr. Bernard Srour pointed out. The connection between late meals and health issues was most often observed in women. However, to confirm these results, the researchers said further studies are needed, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Key Takeaways
The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, examined the risk of strokes and micro-strokes based on meal timing.
These conditions, which interrupt blood flow to the brain, were part of the team’s focus, and they also investigated the risk of developing ischemic heart disease.
Volunteers who dined after 9:00 PM did not face a higher risk of ischemic heart disease compared to those who ate earlier.
However, the study’s results indicated that with each additional hour of late dining, the likelihood of a stroke or micro-stroke increased by eight percent, and the risk of all types of cardiovascular diseases rose by six percent.
The link between meal timing and heart issues was primarily observed in women, which makes sense given that about 80 percent of the volunteers were female.
The only significant finding for men was that with each additional hour of late eating, the risk of developing ischemic heart disease increased by 11 percent.
Like previous studies on this topic, the new work by French scientists added to evidence that prolonged fasting overnight can be beneficial for health. Each additional hour of fasting overnight, according to the researchers, is associated with a seven percent reduction in the risk of stroke or micro-stroke.
