A new seven-year study conducted by a team from the University of Sorbonne Paris-Nord involved 100,000 volunteers. Each participant filled out 15 food diaries, meticulously recording their meal times on weekdays and weekends.
One-third of the participants had dinner earlier than anyone else—before 8:00 PM; another third dined between 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM; and the final third ate after 9:00 PM.
Over the course of seven years, researchers documented nearly 2,000 cases of cardiovascular diseases, including and strokes.
Among those volunteers who dined later—after 9:00 PM—micro-strokes or strokes occurred 28 percent more frequently.
What the Researchers Found
According to the scientists, late digestion of food raises and blood pressure.
Elevated blood pressure in the evening, when it typically should be lower, can over time damage blood vessels and increase the risk of clot formation, leading to strokes and heart attacks.
“My grandmother warned me not to eat too late, and this study shows there was some wisdom in that advice,” said Dr. Bernard Sur, the senior author of the study.
He noted that modern people work around the clock, seven days a week, and often lack time to eat. As a result, many find themselves eating late at night. “But those who dine late because they think they are too busy to do so earlier are putting their health at risk,” Dr. Sur pointed out. The connection between late meals and health issues is most often observed in women. However, to confirm these findings, researchers need further studies, as reported by Daily Mail.
Key Takeaways
The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, examined the risk of strokes and micro-strokes based on meal timing.
In addition to these conditions that cause blood flow to the brain, the team also investigated the risk of developing ischemic heart disease. Volunteers who dined after 9:00 PM did not face a higher risk of developing ischemic heart disease compared to those who ate earlier.
However, the study’s results indicated that with each subsequent hour of late dining, the likelihood of a or micro-stroke increased by eight percent, while all types of cardiovascular diseases rose by six percent.
The connection between meal timing and heart issues was primarily observed in women, which makes sense given that about 80 percent of the volunteers were female.
The only significant finding for men was that with each additional hour of late eating, the risk of developing ischemic heart disease increased by 11 percent.
Like previous studies on this topic, the new research from French scientists provided substantial evidence that prolonged fasting overnight can be beneficial for health. Each additional hour of fasting overnight, according to the researchers, is associated with a seven percent reduction in the risk of stroke or micro-stroke.
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