Unlike breakfast, which is widely regarded as the most important meal of the day, or lunch, which is often eaten during a designated work break, dinner tends to be planned around convenience. You may eat after finishing work, completing a long commute, or simply when you finally feel hungry. But does this flexible approach to dinner timing affect your heart health?
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Dr Sanjeev Gera, senior director and HOD of cardiology at Fortis Hospital, Noida, weighed in on the subject. He noted that emerging research suggests that when we eat may also influence cardiovascular health.
He cited findings from a 2023 study in which more than 1 lakh adults were examined to assess the association between meal timing and cardiovascular disease risk.
Referring to the scale of the research, Dr Gera said, “One of the largest studies examining this question included 103,389 adults and followed them for a median of 7.2 years. During that period, researchers recorded 2,036 new cardiovascular events, including coronary heart disease, stroke and transient ischemic attacks.” The large sample size helped to gain a better understanding of the research.
How can a late dinner affect heart health?
Describing why meal timings may affect cardiovascular health. Dr Gera talked about how instrumental the body’s internal clock is to your health. The internal body clock is directly connected to many physiological and psychological systems.
He said, “Our body follows a natural 24-hour biological clock, known as the circadian rhythm. It regulates sleep, hormones, blood pressure, and metabolism. Eating very late or at irregular times may disturb this rhythm and affect the way the body manages blood sugar and other metabolic processes, including insulin sensitivity and blood cortisol levels.”
When should you have dinner?
The cardiologist returned to the study’s findings, noting that researchers found people whose last meal was after 9 pm had a higher risk of cerebrovascular disease than those who ate before 8 pm.
Eating late was also associated with lifestyle patterns such as delayed bedtimes and greater meal-time irregularities. However, he clarified that eating dinner after 9 pm does not necessarily cause heart disease. Since the study was observational, it identified an association rather than establishing a cause-and-effect relationship.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
