The Reason You Should Eat More Than Half Your Daily Calorie Value Under 5

It is becoming increasingly clear that it is not just what we eat that matters, but also when we eat it. They always said that in Spain we dine and, above all, we had dinner too late. Research reveals the main reason why it is advisable to move main meals to an earlier time in order to swallow at least 55% calories at five o’clock the day before. And we are not talking about losing weight and fat deposits.

Spain’s record for the number of late dinners continues. Here are the time intervals at which the last important meal is eaten in different European countries:

• Spain: around 21:00. (in some houses dinner is eaten much later).

• Germany: around 18:00-19:00.

• Norway and Finland: from 16:00 to 17:30..

• UK: from 18:30 to 19:30.

• France: around 19:30-20-30.

• Portugal: from 21:00 to 22:00.

• Italy: from 20:00 to 21:00..

Glucose levels and diabetes risk

New

studyled by the Open University of Catalonia (UPC) and published in Nutrition and diabetesshows that Consuming more than 45% of your total daily calories after 5:00 pm increases your glucose levels.with consequent serious health consequences. The important aspect is that these negative effects are independent of a person’s weight and amount of body fat.

Until now It was believed that the main reason why it is undesirable to have a late dinner is weight gain.which was due to the fact that people tend to make worse food choices at night, such as consuming more ultra-processedbecause the hormones that regulate hunger and satiety change when we don’t adjust to the sun’s hours.

However, new research shows that Meal timing may negatively impact glucose metabolismregardless of the number of calories consumed during the day, as well as weight and fat content in the human body.

The work was developed at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (New York) under the direction of Diana Diaz RizzoloProfessor of the Department of Medical Sciences of the UOC. “High glucose levels that persist over time can have consequences. as an increased risk of progression type 2 diabetes“increased cardiovascular risk – due to blood vessel damage caused by high glucose levels – and increased chronic inflammation, which worsens cardiovascular and metabolic damage,” says the researcher.

Difference between early and late dinner

The study included 26 participants from 50 to 70 years old.

who were overweight or obesity and prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. The glucose tolerance of all of them was compared and they were divided into two groups: early eaters, who consumed the most calories before evening; and late eaters, who ate 45% or more of their calories starting at 5 p.m.

It is important to note that both groups consumed throughout the study period the same calories and foods throughout the day, but at different times. Participants used a mobile app to record their meals in real time.

The main conclusion was that those who ate late had poorer glucose toleranceregardless of their weight or diet composition. It was also observed that they tended to consume more carbohydrates and fats in the evening.

Diaz Rizzolo explains the reasons for different glucose tolerance: “At night, the body’s ability to absorb glucose decreases because Insulin secretion and cell sensitivity to this hormone are reduced due to the circadian rhythmdetermined by the central clock in the brain, which is synchronized with the clock of light and darkness.”

Pre-lunch and dinner

This study provides new evidence in favor of follow the example of European countries where people eat and, most importantly, have dinner early. In addition to knowing what and how much to eat to prevent cardiometabolic problems, it’s important to decide when to eat the bulk of your meals each day.

According to Diaz Rizzolo, it is desirable that “The largest contribution of calories per day comes from breakfast and lunch.“Instead of doing it during snacks and dinners.” He also recommends avoiding ultra-processed foods, fast foods and foods that are very rich in carbohydratesespecially at night.

Literature

Diaz-Rizzolo, District Attorney; Santos Baez, L.S.; Popp, C. J. et al. (2024) Late eating is associated with poor glucose tolerance, independent of body weight, fat mass, energy intake, and diet composition in prediabetes or early-onset type 2 diabetes.. Nutrition and diabetes. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41387-024-00347-6