Metabolism Do later meals lead to being overweight?

Late food does not make you fat: it depends on the "what" and "how much"

Again and again you hear the following advice: "Do not eat after 18 o'clock, then you can lose weight!". Is this really true, or is it a diet myth. London's King's College wanted to know more and did a study of 1,620 children aged 4 to 18 years old. Surprisingly, they found that children and adolescents who eat late at night do not have an increased risk of being overweight.

Scientific study disproves assumption

In the years 2008 to 2012, the scientists recorded various data of the boys and girls. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated based on body weight and height, age and gender to estimate the weight. Each year, the young subjects or their parents completed a nutritional protocol for four consecutive days, which determined the daily energy and nutrient intake and the usual time of the dinner (before or after 8:00 pm).

According to the study, eating later in the evening does not always lead to being overweight. (Image: Rawpixel.com/fotolia.com)

Earlier studies suggested that the time of food intake affects the internal clock and thus also metabolic processes. That would also be important for weight regulation. However, in the current study, children and teens who ate between 8pm and 10pm had no higher risk of overweight than peers having dinner before 8pm. The energy intake did not change with the time of the meal, the scientists write in the British Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

There were some differences in food quality, but these were not significant. For example, boys (4-10 years old) with a late dinner ate more protein throughout the day, while girls (11-18 years) consumed fewer carbohydrates.

"However, only a limited number of children ate after 8pm, which may have influenced the results," author Dr. Gerda Pot to consider.

Potential weight factors such as omission of breakfast, physical activity and sleep duration have not yet been taken into account.

More important is what we eat

"Much more important than the time of meals is the amount of energy absorbed throughout the day," explains nutritionist Harald Seitz from the information service. This applies to children and adults alike. If you snack a lot, you lose track easily, and that can be reflected on the scale.

With scheduled meals, it's easier to choose the right foods and reasonable portion sizes. Of course, this must be tailored to the everyday life of the family, says Seitz. In addition to a balanced diet, children need plenty of exercise and enough sleep to be fit and maintain a healthy body weight. Heike Kreutz, aid