LATE NIGHT EATING AND ENERGY BALANCE: Is a Calorie Really a Calorie?

Andrew Schwartz

Kinesiology 540

Myths and Legends Presentation

December 10th, 2012

http://nutrihealth.in/food/late-night-eating-equal-to-weight-gain/

INTRODUCTION:What is the Myth?

―Don’t eat before bed!‖

Altered metabolism:

Lower metabolic rate causes slower digestion and

metabolism of ingested calories

Use less ―consumed energy‖ and experience a

disproportionate energy storage

Circadian rhythms

Energy Balance:

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&safe=off&sa=N&tbo=d&biw=1303&bih=668&tbm=isch&tbnid=pKhDtUA-37x5nM:&imgrefurl=http://truhealthquest.com/2011/06/late-night-eating-linked-to-fat-loss-pt2/&docid=cZw9G95GRSPW4M&imgurl=http://truhealthquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/untitled.bmp&w=500&h=333&ei=_7i_UP-4A-bW2gX9wIEI&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=826&vpy=184&dur=398&hovh=183&hovw=276&tx=153&ty=82&sig=101888039498642029245&page=1&tbnh=140&tbnw=200&start=0&ndsp=31&ved=1t:429,r:29,s:0,i:180

OBJECTIVE

1. Data in support of the myth

i. Discuss possible physiologic mechanisms/theories

2. Data in contradiction of the myth

3. Conclusions

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&safe=off&sa=N&tbo=d&biw=1303&bih=668&tbm=isch&tbnid=K0POb-uW6r_lBM:&imgrefurl=http://www.fitbodylife.com/does-late-night-eating-cause-weight-gain/&docid=WH2T_gkq5v8lVM&imgurl=http://www.fitbodylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/late_night_eating.jpg&w=400&h=335&ei=j73DULKGNoWLrAHMs4DwCg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=4&vpy=27&dur=584&hovh=206&hovw=246&tx=145&ty=108&sig=101888039498642029245&page=1&tbnh=149&tbnw=191&start=0&ndsp=27&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:87

CIRCADIAN RYTHYMS:Does a disruption lead to weight gain?

Circadian ―clock‖ for energy regulation

Study Design: 6-weeks;12 mice; high-fat ad libitum diet (60% kcal

from fat)

Light-fed (i.e. 12 hr. light phase; ―wrong‖ time)

Dark-fed (i.e. 12 hr. dark phase; ―right‖ time)

Arble et. al, Obesity. 17 (2100-2102). 2009

CIRCADIAN RYTHYMS:Does a disruption lead to weight gain?

Circadian ―clock‖ for energy regulation

Study Design: 6-weeks;12 mice; high-fat ad libitum diet (60% kcal

from fat)

Light-fed (i.e. 12 hr. light phase; ―wrong‖ time)

Dark-fed (i.e. 12 hr. dark phase; ―right‖ time)

Arble et. al, Obesity. 17 (2100-2102). 2009

CIRCADIAN RYTHYMS:Does a disruption lead to weight gain?

Circadian variation of diet-induced thermogenesis

Study Design: 9 healthy men; three randomly assigned meals of 20%

usual daily energy intake (544 ± 37 kcal)

Morning (0900)

Afternoon (1700)

Night (0100)

Romon et. al, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 57 (476-480). 1993

CIRCADIAN RYTHYMS:Does a disruption lead to weight gain?

Circadian variation of diet-induced thermogenesis (revisited)

MORNING:

544 kcal x 0.159% = 86.49 kcal

NIGHT:

544 kcal x 0.109% = 59.3 kcal

= 27.2 kcal difference

Romon et. al, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 57 (476-480). 1993

WHY THE WEIGHT GAIN?Possible physiologic explanations

Circadian regulation of postprandial metabolism

Suggested that both sleep and circadian rhythm modulate glucose

regulation

Decreased glucose tolerance in the afternoon/evening when

compared to morning — (Cauter et. al, Journal of Clinical

Investigation. 88(934-942). 1991)

Evidence suggests decreased thermic effect of glucose is due to insulin

resistance; decreased uptake/storage — (Ravussin et. al, Journal of

Clinical Investigation. 76(1268-1273). 1985)

Gastric emptying into duodenum

One large bolus induces greater diet-induced thermogenesis than an

isocaloric load of multiple smaller meals — (Tai et. al, American Journal of

Clinical Nutrition. 54(783-787). 1991)

Suggested to be slower in evening and during

sleep — (Coupe et. al, Journal of Controlled

Release. 20(155-162). 1992)

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&safe=off&sa=N&tbo=d&biw=1303&bih=668&tbm=isch&tbnid=uRaNeVBRR10iYM:&imgrefurl=http://uogirl10-virtualfieldtrip.blogspot.com/2008/05/post-8.html&docid=vOXad7FMIKH2fM&imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_pGhDYqqlW5U/SCJvbH59zKI/AAAAAAAAACs/BVCq11bhi4U/s400/Stomach.gif&w=300&h=243&ei=JfnDUOrLGeLWyQG93YHQAg&zoom=1&iact=888039498642029245&page=1&tbnh=140&tbnw=185&start=0&ndsp=29&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0,i:102&tx=39&ty=59xx

MEAL TIMING:Does it matter?

Weight-loss trial

Study Design: 12 obese subjects (BMI > 40 kg/m2); randomly assigned

64-day hospitalization trial

Nonino-Borges et. al, Nutrition. 23 (385–39). 2007

MEAL TIMING:Does it matter?

Weight-loss trial

Study Design: 12 obese subjects (BMI > 40 kg/m2); 64-day trial

Nonino-Borges et. al, Nutrition. 23 (385–39). 2007

MEAL TIMING:Does it matter?

Weight-gain trial

Study Design: Sixteen female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta); 9-

months; ovariectomized and high-fat diet

Sullivan et. al, Obesity Research. 13 (2072-2080). 2005

r = 0.07, p = 0.79

CONCLUSION:Does late night eating lead to weight gain?

Energy balance:

Environmental and social confounders

Later sleep times may increase nighttime eating and caloric intake —

(Baron et. al, Obesity. 19 (1374-1381). 2011)

Type/frequency of night workers’ meals are influenced by habit and time

availability as opposed to appetite — (Waterhouse et. al, Chronobiology

International. 20(1075-1092). 2003)

Caloric restriction at night prevents excess calories at night

Calorie for calorie, late night eating appears not to cause weight

gain or induce any significant changes in energy balance

Questions?