The chronobiology of dieting

When you eat may affect how much weight you gain. This article in The New York Times describes the research:

“Scientists, like mothers, have long suspected that midnight snacking is inadvisable. But until a few years ago, there was little in the way of science behind those suspicions. Now, a new study shows that mice prevented from eating at all hours avoided obesity and metabolic problems — even if their diet was sometimes unhealthful.”

You can see the research paper here. From the paper’s highlights:

“•Time-restricted feeding (TRF) confines food access to 9–12 hr during the active phase
•TRF is a therapeutic intervention against obesity without calorie restriction
•TRF protects against metabolic diseases even when briefly interrupted on weekends
•TRF is effective against high-fat, high-fructose, and high-sucrose diets”

Tags: Abdominal obesity, Body mass index, Food, The New York Times