They say you should have breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar. But we do not always apply this theory. There are those who wake up not hungry in the morning and choose not to eat breakfast, perhaps even because they practice intermittent fasting. Others, due to tight schedules, barely have time to eat lunch at noon.
For one reason or another, you arrive at the end of the day hungry, consuming an abundant, copious and late dinner that will make digestion and sleep difficult. Then there are those who spend the day snacking, as well as those who, some time after dinner, succumb to a craving before going to bed.
The truth is that the time of day we eat and how we distribute caloric intake during our day interferes with our health and also with our weight. This is the precept that governs the discipline of chrononutrition.
From the blog of the endocrinology and nutrition center Endocs, they explain that chrononutrition studies the effect of food on our circadian system, on the secretion of hormones in our body related to hunger, satiety, sleep, wakefulness and tolerance. to glucose among other factors.
They appeal to various studies that show that eating meals in an unbalanced manner – outside of schedule or with incorrect caloric proportions – favors the appearance of excess weight, makes weight loss difficult and increases the risk of suffering from type 2 diabetes.
According to the studies cited by Endocs, a higher calorie consumption at breakfast than at dinner is associated with greater weight loss, greater satiety during the day and better glucose tolerance and, therefore, a lower risk of suffering from type diabetes. 2.
In addition, eating before 3:00 p.m. also implies greater weight loss than those who eat after that time, with the same total daily caloric intake. In conclusion, eating meals late and giving more importance to dinner than breakfast can promote excess weight and metabolic syndrome.
On the other hand, a study available on the Scielo portal shows that humans have endogenous rhythms that prepare and adapt the organism’s physiology to the different phases of the day and the seasons. These internal clocks regulate various physiological systems, marking their activity. Therefore, they are subject to strict genetic and molecular regulation, which means that these repetitive patterns are maintained in the absence of external stimuli. “Circadian dysfunctions have been linked to sleep disorders, psychological problems, neurological diseases, metabolic alterations and obesity,” the research indicates.
The aforementioned study concluded that maintaining a daily routine regarding rest, physical activity and nutrition keeps body clocks synchronized, which optimizes certain medical treatments and helps control body weight. “Diet is one of the external factors that most influences the synchrony of these endogenous clocks, so a correct diet and at appropriate times can benefit our health,” they emphasize.