What is the Origin of Late-Night Eating?

The term is rooted in chronobiology and nutritional science, stemming from the recognition that the timing of food intake is as crucial as the content for metabolic health. Studies on shift workers and meal timing highlighted the disruption caused by consuming calories when the body is physiologically prepared for fasting and repair. This led to a clinical focus on the temporal alignment of feeding with the body's internal clock.

What is the Mechanism of Late-Night Eating?

Ingesting food late at night disrupts the natural circadian fluctuation of hormones such as insulin, cortisol, and melatonin. The body's insulin sensitivity is naturally lower in the evening, meaning a late meal requires a greater insulin response, promoting fat storage and potentially contributing to insulin resistance over time. Furthermore, late-night caloric intake can suppress the nocturnal peak of growth hormone secretion, interfering with essential overnight repair and anabolic processes.

Late-Night Eating

Meaning

Late-Night Eating refers to the consumption of significant caloric intake, particularly macronutrients, during the late evening hours, typically close to or after the onset of the body’s natural sleep cycle. This dietary behavior is clinically relevant as it conflicts with the body’s circadian rhythm, which governs metabolic and hormonal activity, potentially leading to metabolic dysregulation and adverse body composition changes. It is a key factor in chrononutrition research.