A study indicates new patterns in how mealtimes relate to body weight.
To manage weight effectively, it’s important to focus not just on what we eat, but also on when we eat. A study in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity highlights two key habits linked to a lower long-term body mass index (BMI): extending the overnight fasting period and having an early breakfast.
This research was led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a center supported by the “la Caixa” Foundation.
The study involved more than 7,000 volunteers aged 40-65 from the GCAT | Genomes for Life cohort, a project led by the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP).
In 2018, participants answered questionnaires about their weight and height, eating habits including meal times, other lifestyle habits, and socioeconomic status. In 2023, after five years, more than 3,000 participants made a follow-up visit to the research team, where their measures were registered again and new questionnaires were completed.
Interpretation of Results
“Our results, in line with other recent studies, suggest that extending the overnight fast could help maintain a healthy weight if accompanied by an early dinner and an early breakfast. We think this may be because eating earlier in the day is more in line with circadian rhythms and allows for better calorie burning and appetite regulation, which can help maintain a healthy weight. However, it is too soon to draw definitive conclusions, so recommendations will have to wait for more robust evidence,” explains Luciana Pons-Muzzo, a researcher at ISGlobal at the time of the study and currently at IESE Business School.
Gender Differences
Analysis of the data by gender showed that, compared to men, women generally showed lower BMI, higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet, lower propensity to consume alcohol, poorer mental health, and were more likely to be responsible for household or family supervision.
The team used a statistical technique called ‘cluster analysis’ to group individuals with similar characteristics. From the results of this analysis, the authors were struck by a small group of men whose first meal of the day was after 14:00 and who, on average, fasted for 17 hours. Compared to the rest, this group of men tended to have less healthy lifestyles (more likely to smoke, drink alcohol, less physical activity, less adherence to the Mediterranean diet), and had lower levels of educational attainment, and were more likely to be unemployed. These patterns were not observed in any group of women.
On Intermittent Fasting
“There are different ways of practicing what is known as ‘intermittent fasting’ and our study relates to one of them, which is overnight fasting. What we observed in a subgroup of men who do intermittent fasting by skipping breakfast is that this practice has no effect on body weight. Other intervention studies in participants with obesity have shown that this tactic is no more effective than reducing calorie intake in reducing body weight in the long term,” says Camille Lassale, ISGlobal researcher and senior co-author of the study.
“Our research is part of an emerging field of research known as ‘chrononutrition’, which focuses not only on analyzing what we eat, but also the times of day and the number of times we eat,” says Anna Palomar-Cros, a researcher at ISGlobal at the time of the study and currently at IDIAP Jordi Gol.
“At the basis of this research is the knowledge that unusual food intake patterns can conflict with the circadian system, the set of internal clocks that regulate the cycles of night and day and the physiological processes that must accompany them,” she adds.
Previous Studies
This study provides continuity to a line of ISGlobal research on chrononutrition, which in recent years has published two other studies with results in the same direction. In these studies, it was observed that eating dinner and breakfast early was associated, respectively, with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Reference: “Sex-specific chrono-nutritional patterns and association with body weight in a general population in Spain (GCAT study)” by Luciana Pons-Muzzo, Rafael de Cid, Mireia Obón-Santacana, Kurt Straif, Kyriaki Papantoniou, Isabel Santonja, Manolis Kogevinas, Anna Palomar-Cros and Camille Lassale, 12 September 2024, International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.
DOI: 10.1186/s12966-024-01639-x
Never miss a breakthrough: Join the SciTechDaily newsletter.
Follow us on Google and Google News.
36 Comments
Consume less calories. Burn more calories via exercise.
At 40 5’6 , I weighed 186 lbs. My car broke down, I had to Walk to work. It took me 20min. of brisk walking to and from. I walked to Wendy’s for lunch. I found that I was not as hungry so only half cheeseburger and fries and coke. Walked back to work 10 min. In 6 weeks I was 124 lbs.
Please email me. I was on Ozempic for seven months, went from 265 down to 225. Insurance stopped Ozempic. In one month back to 250. No life style or food changes.
I like the fact you didn’t give up what you like eating, just reduced the amount and 20 minutes brisk walk in 6 weeks. I used to be 125 lbs by stopped eating “anything “ after 5 p.m.
That’s wonderful! I hope to lose just 10-15 pounds and your story is inspiring me right now. Hope you have continued success in your weight loss journey.
Congrats and keep it up!
Marion, that’s awesome! Good for you. Thats about 10 lbs per week! . Did your skin firm up too? Did your stomach go down? I’m going to try something similar. I feel so inspired by you! Thank you! 😊
That’s ‘fewer’ calories…
Great information
Very true. Different ways work well for different people. I got back to my 125 once I learned not to eat after 5:00 p.m. ; it is a challenge; nevertheless, once you start seeing the results and feeling your clothing bigger, it is a great sense of accomplishment. About exercising, just do what I like and enjoy, walking, biking 🚴♀️, looking to do a good deed for the day!
Very true. Different ways work well for different people. I got back to my 125 once I learned not to eat later in the afternoon; it is a challenge; nevertheless, once you start seeing the results and feeling your clothing bigger, it is a great sense of accomplishment. About exercising, just do what I like and enjoy, walking, biking 🚴♀️, looking to do a good deed for the day!
Ugh, the “Body Mass Index” measurement needs to get tossed. I’m 51, 6′ and 188lbs with about 10% body fat and according to the BMI “I’m overweight.”
+1
Just b/c it’s muscle doesn’t mean it still isn’t a strain on the heart. Weight is weight. You’d be healtier at 178.
The BMI scale does NOT account for body fat%. So you could be 100# and 50% fat or 250#, be totally shredded, and 10%. BMI is the story for most of of us, but not ALL.
So the two keys habits are extending the overnight fasting period and having an early breakfast. So how do you do that? How can I extend my fasting when it’s telling me to have an early breakfast
By eating last meal of the day sooner?
Is this realistic with the average persons schedule?
I eat meal a day- dinner at 630 pm.
My snacks in the evening are fruit, nuts or raw veggies.
I am overweight because I don’t get enough exercise plain and simple.
Your snacks in the evening are the culprit honey.
Nuts can pack a punch and fruits have ton of sugar.
Get rid of those and see in 3 months.
Replace with water
I did not do any exercise. I just cut the food I was eating and went from 189 pounds to 154 pounds and I’m 5’6″. I did that in 7 months.
Eat dinner early, like no later then 5p, try to do large lunch and small dinner.
Earlier dinner is impossible when I wo the k until six and get home at 6:20. Then cook.
Also noticed! Duh! Hard not to!
Exactly my thought.
Earlier dinner?
Try going to bed earlier?
You stop eating earlier the day before……
Losing weight to average my bmi
my weight is just like that of IU pop idol…. 48 kg… since ages…
You did not mention that a lot of weight is related to muscles. Slim arms, legs, chest and face, but a big belly is likely the consequence of lack of muscular exercise (laziness or sitting work) and drinking and eating too much calory rich beer and food. Food always needs to be related and measured in relation with the dayly energie the person uses. No mentioning of that in your research.
The Western trash diet McWendyFC etc as well as the sugar soda cartels and corn-syrup in every processed food shocks French visitors. Free yourself from fast/trash/processed food and cook fresh produce or move to the Med
Ye, the food culture in European countries is totally different from USA food culture. But idk about aiming all the fingers at Coca-Cola, it’s been around for over one hundred years, why would it suddenly start blowing people up 70 years in?
Because of the chemicals and GMO’s. Sugar and corn are highly gmo
Keep a food diary for a few weeks and meet with a nutritionist. They will give you good, practical suggestions that fit with your lifestyle. Your doctor or insurance can recommend one. Are you only eating one meal? Why not try eating your snacks earlier in the day. I was able to eat more food but still lose weight after meeting with a nutritionist.
Rather have the coke from 70 years ago, at least the cocaine would help keep the weight off 😂
Study is wrong. I lost 15 pounds intermittent fasting. Mostly skipping breakfast.
Probably skewed by someone stuffing their face to make up for not having ate breakfast.
The study might not be wrong, just the skipping breakfast worked better for you. BTW, skipping breakfast is also extending your over night fast. I have also been skipping breakfast and only having a coffee in the morning, eat lunch and then a medium to light dinner. I also have been getting better sleep and mostly water. Only exercise is walking the dog. What worked for me is better sleep, more water, moderate exercise, and managing stress better.