During the first study, which tested the effects of a very early dinner, it was found that this strategy reduces hunger and changes the patterns in the body associated with burning fat and carbohydrates . This could lead to weight loss .
In this mode, the last meal of the day is around mid-afternoon. Volunteers do not eat anything until breakfast the next morning.
Our body has an internal clock and many aspects of metabolism function at their optimum in the morning. Therefore, eating in accordance with the circadian rhythms of the body can have a beneficial effect on health. According to the study, this also applies to metabolism.
This first test in humans follows a laboratory study conducted with the same approach, which found that early dinner reduces fat and reduces the risk of developing Crohn's disease .
For the purposes of the latter, the research team followed 11 men and women who were overweight for 4 days. During this time, participants eat between 08:00 and 14:00. Then their diet is changed for another 4 days, during which they consume food between 08:00 and 20:00.
Experts are testing the effects of early dinner on fat burning , calories and appetite . It was found that, although it did not affect the number of calories burned, the early eating strategy reduced the fluctuations associated with hunger and increased fat burning for several hours at night.
There is also an improvement in the flexibility of the metabolism - its ability to switch between burning fat and calories. It is not yet clear whether early dinner helps to lose weight and whether it is beneficial in other aspects of health.
The data were presented during the Annual Meeting of the Obesity Association in the United States, which is being held in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.