Modern people have busy lives, irregular diets, and even habits of living upside down day and night. However, a new study indicates that eating before going to bed at night is more likely to disrupt the biological clock, lead to metabolic disorders, make people obese, and increase the risk of diabetes.
That is the finding, according to a study published in October in the journal Science by Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. In the study, the researchers divided nocturnal mice into two groups and fed them a high-fat diet for a week during the night when they were active and during the day when they were inactive. The results showed that mice that ate during periods of inactivity gained more weight.
Chelsea Helper, lead author of the study, noted that the mice spent more energy during certain time periods, and although both groups ate the same food, the mice that ate during the active period were healthier.
The research team believes that energy release should be controlled by the biological clock mechanism that regulates energy balance in the body. The study also found that mice genetically engineered (genetically engineered, with foreign DNA introduced into their genome) to have more heat-producing fat cells were less prone to obesity , a mechanism that involves the metabolism of creatine, an organic acid that quickly provides the body with energy.
Joseph B. Bass, a professor at Northwestern University School of Medicine, also said that when animals eat high-fat and high-carbohydrate foods, their biological clocks tend to be disrupted.
Biological clocks are also sensitive to the timing of meals, particularly in adipose tissue, but high-fat diets impair this sensitivity. Although the mechanism behind this is unclear, studies have found that obese animals are more likely to eat when they should be sleeping, suggesting a link between obesity and the biological clock.
Bass also said that the findings not only shed light on the link between eating and sleep disorders, but also explain some of the problems seen in patients in long-term care. Those who rely on feeding tubes usually take their nutrients through the tube at night before going to bed, but this time is when the patient releases the least amount of energy, which is why tube dependent patients have high rates of obesity and diabetes.
For the English report, see The Epoch Times:Study Finds Eating Late at Night More Likely to Lead to Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders .
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