Night owls who eat late ‘at greater risk from diabetes’

PEOPLE who stay up late at night are more likely to develop diabetes than early risers, a study has found.

Researchers said the risk of diabetes is greater for night owls, as the combination of poor sleep quality and eating at inappropriate times might lead to metabolic change.

Scientists interviewed 1,620 participants between the ages of 47 and 59 about their sleepwake cycle, sleep quality and lifestyle habits, such as daily exercise levels. They also took blood samples to test metabolic health and body fat.

Based on the results, 480 of those questioned were classed as morning chronotypes and 95 as evening chronotypes, meaning either they got up particularly early or went to bed very late.

The remaining participants had a sleep-wake cycle between those two extremes.

The study – published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism – found that even though evening chronotypes tended to be younger, they had higher levels of body fat or fat in the blood.

Night owls were 73% more likely to develop diabetes and three times more likely to develop sarcopenia, a condi- tion that triggers a loss of muscle mass in the body.

Study leader Dr Nan Hee Kim, of Korea University College of Medicine in Ansan, said: ‘This could be caused by night owls’ tendency to have poorer sleep quality and to engage in unhealthy behaviour like smoking, late-night eating and a sedentary lifestyle.’

Researchers also found that female evening chronotypes had more belly fat and a greater risk of metabolic syndrome, which raises the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. There are 200,000 people in Ireland with diabetes, with up to half unaware of their condition.