Late eaters have poorer glucose tolerance regardless of body weight and diet composition in old patients with prediabetes: Study

A new study published in the journal of Nutrition and Diabetes found that poorer glucose tolerance may be associated with eating more than 45% of daily calories after 5 p.m., especially in older persons with prediabetes or early-stage type 2 diabetes.

The mainstay of type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevention and therapy is dietary changes. Daily glucose excursions are determined by total calorie intake and meal composition. Because glucose tolerance varies throughout the day, mealtime may also be significant. Due to higher caloric intake and the use of highly processed foods, previous studies have repeatedly shown that eating later is associated with worse glucose metabolism, more body fat, and a higher BMI.

Therefore, this study was to test the hypothesis that in adults with overweight and obesity and diet or metformin-controlled prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, the associations between habitually eating later meals and having poorer glucose metabolism are independent of body weight, daily energy intake, fat mass, or diet composition.

At Columbia University Irving Medical Center (New York City), 26 adults (aged 50 to 75) who were overweight or obese, had diet or metformin-controlled prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, had a HbA1c of 5.7 to 7.5%, ate within a 14-hour window, slept for at least 6 hours, had stable weight, and had no history of bariatric surgery were enrolled.

A 14-day free-living assessment from the NY-TREAT parent study was used to gather data. 5 Automated Self-Administered 24-hour (ASA24®) recalls were used to measure food intake and meal timing, and time-stamped real-time images captured with the myCircadianClock app were used to verify mealtimes. If ≥45% of daily calories were taken after 5 p.m., the participants were classified as Early Eaters (EE) or Later Eaters (LE).

Anthropometrics and daily energy intake were same for EE and LE, however, after 5 p.m., LE's consumption of lipids and carbs increased. Even after controlling for body weight, fat mass, caloric consumption, and food composition, LE showed greater glucose concentrations during an oral glucose tolerance test, while insulin, fasting glucose, and C-peptide did not differ across groups.

Despite excluding the individuals with type 2 diabetes, the glucose values persisted. Differences in glucose concentrations were greater in LE at 30 and 60 minutes after diabetes status correction. Overall, late dining was linked to higher calorie intake, mostly from fats and carbs, and can result in longer evening postprandial glucose excursions, which can worsen glucose tolerance.

Source:

Díaz-Rizzolo, D. A., Santos Baez, L. S., Popp, C. J., Borhan, R., Sordi-Guth, A., Manoogian, E. N. C., Panda, S., Cheng, B., & Laferrère, B. (2024). Late eating is associated with poor glucose tolerance, independent of body weight, fat mass, energy intake and diet composition in prediabetes or early onset type 2 diabetes. In Nutrition & Diabetes (Vol. 14, Issue 1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41387-024-00347-6