Eating late at night linked to up to 30% higher risk of liver disease
A large-scale study involving nearly 200,000 participants suggests that eating late at night is associated with a 20% to 30% higher risk of liver diseases like fatty liver and cirrhosis. The findings highlight the potential impact of meal timing on long-term metabolic health.
Why it matters
This research provides actionable lifestyle insights that could help mitigate the rising prevalence of metabolic and liver-related health conditions.
That late-night snack might have consequences beyond extra calories. Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) have found that eating late in the evening is associated with a significantly higher risk of liver disease, suggesting that when you eat could be an important factor in protecting your liver.
The study, published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology , found that people who regularly ate after dinner or after bedtime had a 20% to 30% higher risk of liver disease compared with those who avoided eating late. The conditions included metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, commonly known as fatty liver disease, and cirrhosis, a serious condition involving extensive scarring of the liver.
Previous studies have connected late-night eating with obesity and cardiovascular problems. However, researchers wanted to determine whether the habit might also be associated with liver disease.
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