Are you someone who often goes to the kitchen late at night looking for some snacks or desserts? If yes, then let us tell you, these midnight cravings are one of the main reasons why you gain weight. You heard us. A recent Harvard Medical School study found that eating late at night leads to more calorie intake, fewer calories burned, and molecular changes in fat tissues. These factors further increase the risk of obesity. The researchers, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, found that “what we eat significantly affects energy consumption, appetite, and molecular pathways in adipose tissue.”
The researchers analyzed 16 study participants, with body mass indexes in the overweight or obese range. Each participant completed two laboratory procedures – one with a strictly scheduled early meal schedule, and another with identical meals, each scheduled later. about four hours a day.
“For two to three weeks prior to the start of each laboratory procedure, the participants maintained a fixed sleep and wake schedule, and for the final three days before entering the laboratory, they strictly followed identical diets and eating schedules at home,” the study further reads.
The results show that eating afterwards has a strong impact on hunger and cravings, which in turn influences our desire to eat. The findings further establish a fundamental correlation between physiological and molecular mechanisms and late-night eating habits, leading to an increased risk of obesity.
Considering the above research, we think it’s better to check what we eat and when we eat to maintain an overall healthy lifestyle.
About Somdatta SahaExplorer- this is what Somdatta likes to call himself. Whether it’s about food, people or places, all she craves is to know the unknown. A simple aglio olio or daal-chawal and a good movie can set her off to a new day.
