Habitual Nightly Fasting Duration, Eating Timing, and Eating Frequency are Associated with Cardiometabolic Risk in Women.

Nour Makarem,Junhui Mi,Linda C Gallo,Faris M Zuraikat,Brooke Aggarwal,Gregory A Talavera,Dorothy D Sears,Sheila F Castaneda,Marie-Pierre St-Onge,Yue Lai

doi:10.3390/nu12103043

Abstract

Nightly fasting duration (NFD) and eating timing and frequency may influence cardiometabolic health via their impact on circadian rhythms, which are entrained by food intake, but observational studies are limited. This 1-year prospective study of 116 US women (33 ± 12y, 45% Hispanic) investigated associations of habitual NFD and eating timing and frequency with cardiovascular health (CVH; American Heart Association Life’s Simple 7 score) and cardiometabolic risk factors. NFD, eating timing and frequency, and nighttime eating levels were evaluated from 1-week electronic food records completed at baseline and 1 y. In multivariable-adjusted linear regression models, longer NFD was associated with poorer CVH (β = −0.22, p = 0.016 and β = −0.22, p = 0.050) and higher diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (β = 1.08, p < 0.01 and β = 1.74, p < 0.01) in cross-sectional and prospective analyses, respectively. Later timing of the first eating occasion at baseline was associated with poorer CVH (β = −0.20, p = 0.013) and higher DBP (β = 1.18, p < 0.01) and fasting glucose (β = 1.43, p = 0.045) at 1 y. After adjustment for baseline outcomes, longer NFD and later eating times were also associated with higher waist circumference (β = 0.35, p = 0.021 and β = 0.27, p < 0.01, respectively). Eating frequency was inversely related to DBP in cross-sectional (β = −1.94, p = 0.033) and prospective analyses (β = −3.37, p < 0.01). In cross-sectional analyses of baseline data and prospective analyses, a higher percentage of daily calories consumed at the largest evening meal was associated with higher DBP (β = 1.69, p = 0.046 and β = 2.32, p = 0.029, respectively). Findings suggest that frequent and earlier eating may lower cardiometabolic risk, while longer NFD may have adverse effects. Results warrant confirmation in larger multi-ethnic cohort studies with longer follow-up periods.

Highlights

Mounting evidence suggests that eating and fasting patterns influence cardiometabolic heath [1,2].Compelling data from animal models and short-term clinical trials in humans indicate that time-restricted feeding (TRF), the practice of eating during a restricted window of time and fasting thereafter, has favorable effects on body weight, glucose metabolism, and blood pressure (BP), independent of energy intake [2,3,4]
The circadian timing of food intake is related to cardiometabolic risk; an earlier eating period and less nighttime eating has been linked to better cardiometabolic health, since fasting/eating cycles that are chronically misaligned with 24-h light/dark cycles can lead to disrupted circadian rhythms, a risk factor for obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) [1,2]
Timing of the last eating occasion was not related to any of the outcomes in this study, we uniquely demonstrate that a higher percentage of daily calories consumed at the self-defined evening meal was associated with higher diastolic blood pressure (DBP)

Summary

Introduction

Mounting evidence suggests that eating and fasting patterns influence cardiometabolic heath [1,2].Compelling data from animal models and short-term clinical trials in humans indicate that time-restricted feeding (TRF), the practice of eating during a restricted window of time and fasting thereafter, has favorable effects on body weight, glucose metabolism, and blood pressure (BP), independent of energy intake [2,3,4]. Mounting evidence suggests that eating and fasting patterns influence cardiometabolic heath [1,2]. Beyond the timing of food intake, the frequency of eating episodes has been proposed to play a role in cardiometabolic health, with some evidence of beneficial effects of frequent meals on weight-related outcomes [5]; mixed results preclude a scientific consensus regarding the role of eating frequency in obesity risk [1]. There is promising emerging evidence that dietary patterns that are intentionally mindful of the daily span of eating/fasting duration and the timing and frequency of eating may represent a modifiable lifestyle approach for the management of cardiometabolic risk factors [1], a number of scientific gaps remain. The protective effects of TRF on cardiometabolic health are primarily demonstrated in clinical investigations with limited sample sizes and short follow-up (typically 8–12 weeks and one for 16 weeks), and many are conducted in “high-risk” populations such as adults with overweight, obesity, or prediabetes, some of which do not include women [2,4,6,7,8]

Results

Discussion

Conclusion