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

A large analysis of roughly 200,000 adults across three U.S. studies has found that consuming food late at night is associated with a significantly higher risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and cirrhosis. The findings were published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

"We know the liver is very much in tune with the body’s circadian rhythms. 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," said Dr. Robert Wilechansky, lead author and researcher at Oregon Health and Science University.

The analysis indicated a 20 to 30 percent increase in all forms of liver disease among participants who reported eating after dinner or after going to bed, compared with those who did not. Dr. Wilechansky added that while only a small proportion of people with fatty liver progress to severe conditions such as cirrhosis, limiting calorie intake to earlier hours may be beneficial.

"We are seeing over and over again that the timing of behaviours, whether it’s sleep, eating or exercise, really matters. For example, we have shown that eating during the night, when the internal biological clock is promoting sleep, reduces the ability of your body to metabolise foods as efficiently and can eventually lead to obesity, diabetes and now poor liver health," said Dr. Andrew McHill, a sleep and circadian physiologist at OHSU.

The report notes that many liver diseases are asymptomatic, while cirrhosis can cause fatigue, loss of appetite, jaundice and other symptoms. Earlier research also suggested that stress combined with late-night snacking may compound gut health problems.