Ban late night snacks?

I remember several years ago Oprah said she never ate past 8:00 pm because the later you eat, the more likely your body is to retain fat. If you eat early, you’re more likely to burn the calories than if you eat a bunch in the evening and then just sleep.  I always thought there was some amount of validity to this.  Thus, today’s health myth: eating late makes you gain weight.

The truth.

Unfortunately, the British Medical Journal disagrees with Oprah. Often studies which find an association between obesity and late night eating are misinterpreted.  For example, a study in Sweden found that obese women reported eating more meals, particularly in the afternoon, evening, and night, than non-obese women.  Sounds like a good case against late night snacking to me! However, this study only shows an association between the two variables.  Just because obesity and eating more meals at night are associated, it does not mean that one causes the other. The study also showed that the obese women were not just night eaters, they were also eating more meals and taking in more calories.  Taking in more calories than you burn makes you gain weight regardless of when calories are consumed.  The journal also cites many other studies which found no relationship between weight gain and late eating.

• The Gustaf study found no evidence of Swedish men gaining weight with night time meals.
• An Italian study of 15 obese people found that the timing of meals did not change energy expenditure.
• A study in Hawaii of over 2500 patients found that eating at night was not associated with weight gain, but eating more than three times a day was linked to obesity.

The best way to eat?  Eat throughout the day, at least three regular meals, so you don’t get hungry and overeat at any meal.  This includes breakfast, not because it is early in the day, but because you are more likely not to pig out at lunch and dinner if you’re not starving by noon.

Weight gain and eating late…busted!