A recent study has indicated that eating overnight might increase the risk of chronic health issues for those who work night shifts.
A recent study conducted in Australia, published in Diabetologia this week, has revealed that overnight eating could elevate the risk of chronic health problems for individuals working night shifts.
Carried out by researchers from the University of South Australia, University of Adelaide, and SAHMRI, this NHMRC-funded study included a six-day experiment with 55 adults who had a healthy BMI and typically do not work night shifts.
Participants resided at the University of South Australia’s Behaviour-Brain-Body Sleep Research Centre and were classified into three groups: those who fasted at night, those who consumed snacks, and those who had full meals.
All subjects remained awake for four nights, sleeping during the day, followed by a recovery day on the fifth day to help reset their normal sleep and eating patterns, with blood glucose levels measured on the sixth day.
Professor Leonie Heilbronn from SAHMRI and the University of Adelaide noted that the findings demonstrated that participants who consumed meals or snacks throughout the night had significantly poorer glucose tolerance than those who fasted.
“We observed that blood glucose levels spiked for those who ate full meals and those who snacked during the night while those who fasted at night showed increased insulin secretion, which helped maintain stable blood sugar levels,” Professor Heilbronn explained.
“It’s well-established that shift workers face a higher likelihood of developing diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Our research suggests that when meals are consumed may play a key role in these health issues.”
Insulin sensitivity appeared to be compromised among all participants, irrespective of their eating patterns, supporting existing evidence that night shifts disrupt circadian rhythms and negatively impact glucose metabolism.
“When you consume a meal, your body releases insulin, which aids your muscles and other tissues in absorbing glucose. If your body becomes resistant to insulin, it becomes less effective at taking up glucose in your muscles, and prolonged resistance could increase the risk of diabetes,” Professor Heilbronn added.
Lead investigator Professor Siobhan Banks from UniSA suggested that avoiding large meals during night shifts and primarily eating during daylight hours could be a simple strategy to improve health outcomes for many workers.
“This approach could be easier for individuals to adopt compared to more complicated dietary plans,” Professor Banks stated.
The researchers plan to conduct future studies to determine if consuming only protein snacks during night shifts might help satisfy hunger without endangering workers’ health.
