A late dinner isn’t harmful if there’s a late breakfast the next day.

The negative perception of late-night eating stems from the belief that it can lead to weight gain and health complications.

Tim Spector’s team, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London (KCL), has come to the defense of late-night snackers. However, they caution that breakfast the next morning should also be delayed.

The researchers examined the eating habits of 80,000 British adults, considering various meal times and the intervals between them, as reported by the Daily Mail.

Commenting on the study’s findings, Professor Spector noted that it’s perfectly fine to finish dinner at 9:30 PM or later while still maintaining good health and avoiding extra pounds.

The key, according to Tim Spector, is that breakfast the following day should also be late—ideally at 11:30 AM or later—so that the gap between meals stretches to 14 hours. According to the researchers, this is achievable for most people and optimal for a healthy metabolism. This rule applies regardless of when someone has dinner.

Participants in the study who dined late and then fasted for 14 hours reported to the scientists that they even felt a surge of energy in the morning.

Professor Spector suggests that our gut microbes, like us, have a circadian rhythm and need a break from food. Each individual can decide when this rest period occurs and align it with their daily schedule. As the study leader pointed out, due to work and children, people often eat late, but they shouldn’t feel guilty about it.

According to Professor Spector, the idea that early dinners are healthier is based on a limited number of studies, primarily conducted by younger researchers. These studies did not take into account the intervals between meals and breakfast timing. In his view, these studies show only a slight benefit to early dinners: the advantages are exaggerated.

Tim Spector, author of books on healthy eating, has debunked many stereotypes about what and when we can eat for better health. He advocates for time-restricted eating and longer fasting periods between meals, believing this approach helps normalize metabolic processes and aids in weight loss.

He emphasizes the importance of avoiding late-night snacking, trying not to go to bed within two hours after dinner, and not having breakfast too early.