Timing of Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Effects on Obesity and Metabolic Risk.

Jesus Lopez-Minguez, Purificación Gómez-Abellán, Marta Garaulet

Journal: Nutrients 2020;11(11):2624

PMID: 31684003

Plain Language Summary

Timing of food intake is an emerging factor that may predict the success of weight loss therapies. The aim of this review is to explore the timing of the three main meals of the day, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the impact that eating during the biological night can have on metabolism, glucose tolerance, and obesity-related factors. The review shows that the timing of food intake is an external synchronizer and plays a crucial role in obesity and weight loss treatment. Breakfast skipping is causally linked to obesity and late lunch (after 3 p.m.) hinders weight loss, mainly in those carriers of a genetic variant in Perilipin. Furthermore, a late lunch has a deleterious effect on microbiota diversity and composition whereas late dinner (within two hours before bedtime) decreases glucose tolerance. Authors conclude that modifying food-timing may be a potential tool to decrease obesity and metabolic risk.

Abstract

(1) Background: Eating is fundamental to survival. Animals choose when to eat depending on food availability. The timing of eating can synchronize different organs and tissues that are related to food digestion, absorption, or metabolism, such as the stomach, gut, liver, pancreas, or adipose tissue. Studies performed in experimental animal models suggest that food intake is a major external synchronizer of peripheral clocks. Therefore, the timing of eating may be decisive in fat accumulation and mobilization and affect the effectiveness of weight loss treatments. (2) Results: We will review multiple studies about the timing of the three main meals of the day, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and its potential impact on metabolism, glucose tolerance, and obesity-related factors. We will also delve into several mechanisms that may be implicated in the obesogenic effect of eating late. Conclusion: Unusual eating time can produce a disruption in the circadian system that might lead to unhealthy consequences.

Address: Department of Physiology, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia; Spain. [email protected].; IMIB-Arrixaca, 30120 Murcia, Spain. [email protected].; Department of Physiology, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia; Spain. [email protected].; IMIB-Arrixaca, 30120 Murcia, Spain. [email protected].; Department of Physiology, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia; Spain. [email protected].

DOI: 10.3390/nu11112624

Patient Centred Factor

Triggers: Food timing/obesity

Clinical Imbalances

Structural Integrity and Musculoskeletal

Modifiable Lifestyle Factors

Diet

Nutrition Evidence Keywords

Diabetes Glucose tolerance BMI Obesity Cholesterol LDL Body mass index Microbiota Type 2 diabetes Low-density lipoprotein Glucose metabolism Weight loss Metabolism Metabolic risk

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Medical:

https://medlineplus.gov/obesity.html

MeSH Terms: Adipose Tissue, Animals, Blood Glucose, Breakfast, Circadian Rhythm, Feeding Behavior, Female, Glucose Intolerance, Humans, Lunch, Male, Meals, Melatonin, Obesity, Weight Loss