44 1
It is generally accepted that eating late in the evening contributes to weight gain, but scientists state that the time when a person eats before going to bed "does not affect" his weight at all.
There's a theory that eating at night goes against people's circadian rhythms, and that night time is for resting, not eating. However, a study conducted by the universities of Aberdeen and Surrey showed that a person can have a habit of having a big breakfast or a big dinner: the time of the meal will not affect his weight.
The researchers invited healthy overweight people to be examined. For four weeks, part of the participants ate according to the principle of "a large breakfast and a small dinner", and some - according to the principle of a "small breakfast and a large dinner". According to the scientists, they hypothesized that a large breakfast and a small dinner would increase the number of calories burned and help the subjects lose weight. But they found "no differences" in body weight or how many calories it burned at rest. There were also no significant differences in daily blood glucose, insulin, or lipid levels.
Scientists have come to the conclusion that the time the body receives calories does not have a decisive effect on its weight - the main thing is the ratio of received and calories.
"Eating more than a person's actual daily caloric needs is the fastest way to gain weight. If a calorie deficit is created, weight loss begins. Overeating and excess calories not only cause weight gain, but also increase the risk of developing chronic health problems and cancer," postulated the scientists.
They also reported that eating a large breakfast and a small dinner helped people feel less hungry during the day.