Portfolio version of late night eating and weight gain
1. 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/
2. 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:
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2/&docid=cZw9G95GRSPW4M&imgurl=http://truhealthquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/untitled.bmp&w=500&h=333&ei=_7i_UP-4A-
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3. OBJECTIVE
1. Data in support of the myth
i. Discuss possible physiologic mechanisms/theories
2. Data in contradiction of the myth
3. Conclusions
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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=1018880
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4. 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
5. 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
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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)
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10. 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
11. MEAL TIMING:
Does it matter?
Weight-gain trial
Study Design: Sixteen female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta); 9-
months; ovariectomized and high-fat diet
r = 0.07, p = 0.79
Sullivan et. al, Obesity Research. 13 (2072-2080). 2005
12. 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?
