Meal Timing for Metabolic Health

Overseen By Lesia Lysne

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Minnesota

Disqualifiers: Pregnancy, Comorbid conditions, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

60 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial investigates how the timing of overeating affects metabolism and inflammation in the body. Researchers believe that overeating, especially in the evening, might cause inflammation and metabolic issues. They aim to use the findings to develop new strategies to combat the negative impacts of overeating. Individuals who are healthy, have a normal body weight, and weigh at least 120 pounds may be suitable for this study. As an unphased study, this trial offers participants the opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research that could lead to healthier lifestyle recommendations.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that this eating pattern is safe?

Research shows that meal timing can affect metabolism and overall health. Studies have found that eating late can lead to weight gain and higher blood sugar levels, although these studies mostly examine long-term eating habits.

Regarding safety, changing meal times doesn't directly harm health. It primarily affects the body's ability to process food. Current research hasn't identified any specific safety issues related to altering meal times. While meal timing can influence health, no direct safety concerns have been identified in this aspect of the study.

This study is observational, meaning it observes outcomes without intervention. Participants should discuss any concerns about how meal timing might affect them personally with the study team. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about meal timing as a potential way to improve metabolic health because it offers a non-invasive, lifestyle-based approach. Unlike traditional treatments that may involve medication or dietary restrictions aimed at controlling blood sugar and weight, meal timing focuses on when you eat rather than what or how much you eat. This method could naturally synchronize the body's internal clock with external cues, potentially enhancing metabolism and overall health without the need for drugs or strict dieting.

What evidence suggests that meal timing is effective for metabolic health?

This trial will explore how meal timing affects metabolic health. Research has shown that meal timing can influence metabolism and body weight. Studies have found that eating lunch earlier in the day can aid weight loss. Other research suggests that consuming fewer meals or more calories earlier in the day may lead to slight weight loss and a better body mass index (BMI). Meal timing also relates to metabolic syndrome, which includes issues like high blood pressure and high blood sugar. Overall, meal timing might help manage weight and improve metabolic health. ^{2 3 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Lisa Chow, MD

Principal Investigator

University of Minnesota

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals aged 18-30 with a normal BMI (18.5 - 24.9 kg/m2) and a weight of at least 120 lbs. Participants should not be pregnant or have any comorbid conditions.

Inclusion Criteria

Normal BMI (18.5 - 24.9 kg/m2)

Weight ≥120 lbs self-reported weight

Not pregnant

Exclusion Criteria

N/A

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Observation

Participants are observed for metabolic and inflammatory effects of acute overeating

8 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after observation

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Meals

Trial Overview The ChronoMet study observes the metabolic and inflammatory effects of overeating, especially focusing on whether eating more in the evening has worse effects than other times.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Experimental group Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

60 young (age 18-65), healthy, normal body mass index subjects for this study.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Minnesota

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,459

Recruited

1,623,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

In a study of 956 health workers, those with poorer mealtime habits had over 10 times the risk of developing metabolic syndrome (MetS) and insulin resistance (IR) compared to those with better habits.

Specifically, participants in the lower Mealtime Habits Quality (MHQ) category were found to have an 8.8 to 11.2 times greater risk of developing MetS and IR, highlighting the significant impact of mealtime behaviors on metabolic health.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mealtime habits and risk of developing the metabolic syndrome or insulin resistance among Mexican adults. Méndez-Hernández, P., Dosamantes-Carrasco, LD., Siani, C., et al.[2022]

Irregular eating patterns, such as skipping meals and frequent snacking, are linked to negative effects on cardiometabolic health, including obesity and insulin resistance.

Intentional and mindful eating, focusing on the timing and frequency of meals, may help improve cardiometabolic risk factors and promote a healthier lifestyle.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Meal Timing and Frequency: Implications for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. St-Onge, MP., Ard, J., Baskin, ML., et al.[2022]

Korean adults who consume a higher proportion of their daily energy intake in the evening are at greater risk for obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS), as shown by a study analyzing data from the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Specifically, individuals in the group with the highest evening energy intake had the worst diet quality and the highest body mass index, waist circumference, and levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, indicating a strong link between meal timing and metabolic health.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Higher energy consumption in the evening is associated with increased odds of obesity and metabolic syndrome: findings from the 2016-2018 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (7 th KNHANES). Jeong, S., Lee, H., Jung, S., et al.[2023]

In a study of 80 adults with type-2 diabetes, it was found that eating more energy later in the day (especially in the evening) was linked to higher total food and energy intake, which could negatively impact metabolic control.

Conversely, consuming a higher proportion of carbohydrates earlier in the day was associated with lower overall energy intake, suggesting that timing meals earlier may help manage dietary and metabolic health in patients with type-2 diabetes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Meal timing across the day modulates daily energy intake in adult patients with type 2 diabetes. Chamorro, R., Basfi-Fer, K., Sepúlveda, B., et al.[2022]

In a study of 7619 participants from the NHANES survey, earlier eating start times were linked to lower fasting glucose levels and reduced insulin resistance, suggesting that when you eat may be as important as how long you eat.

The research found that for every hour later meals were started, fasting glucose levels increased by about 0.6% and insulin resistance (measured by HOMA-IR) increased by 3%, highlighting the potential impact of meal timing on metabolic health.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Associations between Timing and Duration of Eating and Glucose Metabolism: A Nationally Representative Study in the U.S. Ali, M., Reutrakul, S., Petersen, G., et al.[2023]

A study involving 93 healthy adults used a novel cell-phone approach to track food and beverage intake over 21 days, revealing that most people do not follow the traditional three meals a day pattern, with over 30% of calories consumed in the evening and late night.

The findings suggest that more than 50% of participants spread their caloric intake over 15 hours or longer, indicating a potential disruption in daily eating patterns that may contribute to the rising rates of metabolic diseases like obesity and diabetes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A camera-phone based study reveals erratic eating pattern and disrupted daily eating-fasting cycle among adults in India. Gupta, NJ., Kumar, V., Panda, S.[2019]

Current evidence suggests that increasing the fasting period between meals may be more beneficial for weight control and metabolic health than the traditional approach of eating multiple small meals throughout the day.

This review highlights the importance of meal timing and frequency in managing body weight and metabolic health, indicating that more research is needed to fully understand these effects under different energy balance conditions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Metabolic impacts of altering meal frequency and timing - Does when we eat matter? Hutchison, AT., Heilbronn, LK.[2017]

In a study of 229 women with overweight or obesity, longer daily eating intervals were linked to higher energy intake and increased waist circumference, suggesting that eating timing can significantly impact dietary habits and body composition.

Time-restricted eating was associated with lower energy intake and glycemic load, indicating that adjusting when we eat may be a useful strategy for improving metabolic health and managing weight.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Eating Timing: Associations with Dietary Intake and Metabolic Health. Taetzsch, A., Roberts, SB., Bukhari, A., et al.[2021]

In a study of 850 adults, a higher frequency of eating occasions and snacks was linked to an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), with odds ratios indicating a significant risk (OR 1.72 for eating occasions, OR 1.34 for snacks).

Despite the increased eating frequency, the overall diet quality, measured by the food quality score, did not differ significantly across different eating patterns, suggesting that more frequent eating may negatively impact metabolic health regardless of diet quality.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Joint association of meal frequency and diet quality with metabolic syndrome in Iranian adults. Azizi, N., Shab-Bidar, S., Bazshahi, E., et al.[2022]

The reliability of estimating meal timing parameters, such as overnight fasting duration and eating episodes, is generally poor with a single 24-hour dietary recall, indicating that more frequent assessments are needed for accurate measurements.

To achieve reliable estimates of meal timing variables, at least three 24-hour dietary recalls over a period of 1 to 3 years are necessary, as shown in studies involving nearly 1,855 participants across different cohorts.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Reliability estimates for assessing meal timing derived from longitudinal repeated 24-hour dietary recalls. Peterson, L., Lee, H., Huybrechts, I., et al.[2023]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9102985/

Meal Timing, Meal Frequency and Metabolic Syndrome - PMC Nonetheless, current evidence has indicated that meal timing and frequency, skipping meals, and fasting are all associated with metabolic syndrome.

2. jamanetwork.com jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2825747

Meal Timing and Anthropometric and Metabolic Outcomes This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the association between meal timing strategies and anthropometric and metabolic outcomes.

3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6893547/

Timing of Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Effects on Obesity and ... While our studies showed that the timing of lunch, and not the timing of breakfast or dinner, was related to weight loss effectiveness, other studies have ...

4. nature.com nature.com/articles/s43856-025-01035-x

Meal timing trajectories in older adults and their ... Latent class analysis of meal timing trajectories identify early and late eating groups, with 10-year survival rates of 86.7% in the late eating ...

5. jamanetwork.com jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2825750

Meal Timing Interventions for Weight Loss and Metabolic ... Lower meal frequency was shown to have a slight reduction in body weight and BMI. Caloric distribution of energy intake earlier in the ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10536179/

Dietary Habits and Metabolic Health - PMC Dietary habits refer to the long-term dietary patterns and habits that an individual forms and maintains in their daily life.

7. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831322004045

Timing of Food Intake: Identifying Contributing Factors to ... Food timing is an important aspect of nutrition causally related to adverse metabolic outcomes. The timing of food intake is an emerging aspect of nutrition ...

8. ahajournals.org ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/cir.0000000000000476

Meal Timing and Frequency: Implications for ... In this statement, we review the cardiometabolic health effects of specific eating patterns: skipping breakfast, intermittent fasting, meal frequency.