Late-night eating linked to higher risk of fatty liver disease, study finds

A study conducted by Oregon Health & Science University analyzed dietary and lifestyle data from almost 200,000 participants in long-term health cohorts, including the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. The researchers found that adults who reported eating after dinner or close to bedtime had roughly 20 to 30 percent higher rates of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, commonly known as fatty liver disease, and cirrhosis, compared with those who ate earlier.

"We know the liver is very much in tune with the body’s circadian rhythms," said Robert Wilechansky, MD, an OHSU hepatologist and lead author of the study.

"So we’re interested in changing the timing of eating in a way that could make a difference in health, without changing the composition of what people eat."

The authors note that the liver’s role in daily metabolism may be disrupted when food intake occurs as the body prepares for sleep. They caution that the findings are based on self-reported eating habits and that the observational design cannot prove causation.

"It’s important to remember, of the people who developed fatty liver disease, only a small fraction develop serious forms of the condition like liver cirrhosis," Wilechansky added.

"Even so, the big take-away here is that confining your calorie intake to several hours before bedtime might be beneficial."

OHSU researchers are recruiting participants for a clinical trial to test whether shifting meals to earlier in the day improves markers of fatty liver disease. Co-author Andrew McHill, PhD, a sleep and circadian physiologist, said the timing of behaviors such as sleep, eating, and exercise appears to have significant health implications.