Late isocaloric eating increases hunger, decreases energy expenditure, and modifies metabolic pathways in adults with overweight and obesity.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized controlled crossover trial in humans
PubMed 36198293 · doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2022.09.007
What was done
In a randomized, controlled, crossover trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02298790), investigators assessed the metabolic effects of late versus early isocaloric eating in adults with overweight and obesity. The study protocol strictly controlled for nutrient intake, physical activity, sleep, and light exposure. Measured outcomes included hunger, appetite-regulating hormones, waketime energy expenditure, 24-hour core body temperature, and adipose tissue gene expression.
What was found
Late eating significantly increased hunger (p < 0.0001) and altered appetite hormones, increasing the waketime ghrelin:leptin ratio (p < 0.0001) and the 24-h ghrelin:leptin ratio (p = 0.006). Late eating also decreased waketime energy expenditure (p = 0.002) and lowered 24-h core body temperature (p = 0.019). Adipose tissue gene expression analyses revealed alterations in lipid metabolism pathways (including p38 MAPK signaling, TGF-beta signaling, modulation of receptor tyrosine kinases, and autophagy) consistent with decreased lipolysis and increased adipogenesis. Specific numerical values for hormone levels, energy expenditure, and core body temperature were not provided in the abstract.
Why it matters
This trial establishes distinct physiological and molecular mechanisms—concurrently increasing hunger, lowering energy expenditure, and shifting adipose pathways toward fat storage—explaining how late meal timing can promote positive energy balance and obesity risk independently of caloric intake.
Limits
The abstract does not state the sample size, intervention duration, or absolute numerical effect sizes. As a highly controlled clinical laboratory protocol, long-term sustainability and real-world behavioral translation remain to be determined.
Cited by
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