NIGHT FRIGHTS

Eating in the evening takes its toll Timing of energy intake may be an important modifiable behaviour

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EATING in the evening is associated with a higher total calorie intake and lower diet quality, research carried out by Ulster University has found.

A study of nearly 1,200 UK adults suggests there is a link between eating a larger proportion of a person’s daily energy intake during the evening and having a higher total intake and lower quality of diet.

The research, carried out by Judith Baird from the Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, was presented at this year’s online European and International Conference on Obesity.

It shows in recent decades there has been a growing interest in how the timing of our food consumption can influence metabolism and other physiological processes.

It states the sensations of hunger follow a strong daily rhythmic pattern and are often most intense later in the day.

This phenomenon could influence both the type and amount of food we eat, according to the findings.

It aimed to investigate the association of energy intake during the evening on total EI and diet quality.

The team selected a group of 1,177 adults aged 19-64 years from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey, using data covering the years 2012 to 2017.

The survey, which began in 2008, collects detailed information on the food consumption, nutrient intake and nutritional status of the general UK population aged 18 months and over by canvassing a representative sample of around 1,000 participants each year.

Subjects were grouped into quartiles ( four equal groups of 25%) based on the proportion of their daily EI consumed after 6pm, from the lowest with under 31.4%, through to the highest whose evening consumption accounted for more than 48.6% of their EI.

Diet quality was assessed by scoring the food diaries kept by participants using the Nutrient Rich Food Index, which classifies and ranks f oods according to the ratio of important nutrients they contain relative to their energy content.

Across the whole sample group, eating during the evening provided an average of almost 40% (39.8%) of daily EI. The authors found a significant variation in total EI across the different quartiles, with individuals in the lowest quartile of evening EI consuming fewer calories in total over the day than those in the other three quartiles.

An author of the report said: “Our results suggest that consuming a lower proportion of EI in the evening may be associated with a lower daily energy intake, while consuming a greater proportion of energy intake in the evening may be associated with a lower diet quality score.

“Timing of energy intake may be an important modifiable behaviour to consider in future nutritional interventions.”

Eating at night can cause problems