Timing of Meals Linked to Longevity, Study Suggests

The timing of meals, not just their content, may play a significant role in longevity, according to a large-scale study involving over 31,000 adults. Researchers found a potential association between when individuals consume their first and last calories of the day and their risk of premature death. While the study highlights a correlation, it cautions against assuming a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

Data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, collected between 1999 and 2018, was analyzed for participants aged 40 and older. Participants reported their food and drink intake over 24 hours, including the times they consumed them. The study defined the 'first meal' as any caloric intake after 4 a.m. and the 'last meal' as the final consumption of calories before sleep.

Analysis linked this timing data with mortality records through the end of 2019. Over an average follow-up period of 8.6 years, 7,129 participants died, with 2,259 attributed to cardiovascular diseases. After accounting for factors like age, smoking, physical activity, diet quality, BMI, income, and pre-existing conditions, a pattern emerged: the later the first meal, the higher the risk of death.

Specifically, individuals whose first meal was between 8 and 10 a.m. faced a 10% higher risk of all-cause mortality compared to those eating between 7 and 8 a.m. This risk increased to 19% for those eating between 10 a.m. and noon, and a significant 29% for those eating after noon. A similar trend was observed for cardiovascular disease mortality, with eating the first meal after noon linked to a 46% higher risk. The study estimated that 50-year-olds in the later-eating group might have a life expectancy shorter by approximately 2.46 years.