Study Ties Late-Night Eating to 36% Higher MASLD Risk and 28% Higher Cirrhosis Risk
Updated
Updated · ScienceAlert · Oct 15
Study Ties Late-Night Eating to 36% Higher MASLD Risk and 28% Higher Cirrhosis Risk
3 articles · Updated · ScienceAlert · Oct 15
Summary
199,155 participants followed for a median 16 years showed higher liver-disease risk among people who ate after bedtime or between dinner and bedtime.
Adjusted analyses linked late-night eating to a 36% higher risk of MASLD and a 28% higher risk of cirrhosis, although cirrhosis remained uncommon with 315 cases.
Researchers from OHSU and Massachusetts General Hospital said disrupted circadian rhythms may leave the liver less able to process food at night, raising fat buildup and blood sugar.
Sleep timing and sleep quality were not measured, so the observational study cannot prove causation, but the association held after accounting for age, BMI and physical activity.
An OHSU team is already recruiting a clinical trial to test whether changing meal timing could shape future nutrition guidance for chronic liver disease.