If you’re trying to live a healthier life, you probably focus a lot on what you eat and probably don’t give much thought to when
you eat – but you should. According to a growing body of research,
including two recent studies, when and how often you eat could affect heart
health, weight loss and risk factors for heart disease.
New research from the American Heart Association (AHA) indicates that
planning the timing and frequency of your meals and snacks, as well as
eating breakfast (two habits associated with a healthier diet), could lead
to a healthier heart. The AHA published a new scientific statement in its
journal Circulation, suggesting when and how often people eat may impact
risk factors for heart attack, stroke or other cardiac or blood vessel
diseases. In addition, they recommend eating more calories earlier in the
day, which might help reduce your risk for heart disease.
“We suggest eating mindfully, by paying attention to planning both what you
eat and when you eat meals and snacks, to combat emotional eating,” says
the study’s lead author Marie-Pierre St-Onge, Ph.D., associate professor,
nutritional medicine, Columbia University. “Many people find that emotions
can trigger eating episodes when they are not hungry, which often leads to
eating too many calories from foods that have low nutritional value.”
In another study of 2,000 people, researchers looked at whether a person’s
circadian rhythm (or internal clock) affected what they ate and at what
time. By comparing the healthy habits of early birds and night owls,
scientists discovered that morning people made healthier choices overall
than evening people.
The results of this first-of-its-kind study – published in Obesity
, the scientific journal of The Obesity Society (TOS) – showed the
discrepancies of what and when people with different internal time clocks
eat, including macronutrients like carbohydrates, protein and fat.
“Early birds may have an extra advantage over night owls when it comes to
fighting obesity as they are instinctively choosing to eat healthier foods
earlier in the day,” says TOS spokesperson Courtney Peterson, PhD, of the
University of Alabama at Birmingham. “Previous studies have shown that
eating earlier in the day may help with weight loss and lower the risk of
developing diabetes and heart disease. What this new study shows is that
our biological clocks not only affect our metabolism but also what we
choose to eat.”
Researchers found that night owls ate less protein overall and ate more
sucrose (a type of sugar) in the morning and at night. In addition, night
owls also ate more fat and saturated fatty acids in the evening. On
weekends, it gets even worse. Compared to early birds, night owls ate more
irregularly, had double the amount of meal times, slept worse and were less
physically active overall.
The bottom line? Plan healthy meals and snacks so you’re mindful of what –
and when – you’re eating. Plus, don’t skip breakfast and do eat
more calories earlier in the day – regardless of whether you’re an early
bird or a night owl.
Sources
:
- AHA journal Circulation :
circ.ahajournals.org/content/135/9/e96 - TOS journal Obesity :
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oby.21747/full
