Early Dinner Can Help Prevent Diabetes And Lose Weight

Have you ever heard that eating earlier can help prevent diabetes and lose weight? Although some people believe that dinner is the main enemy to losing those extra pounds, the truth is that often the problem is not what we eat, but how much and when we eat it.

As part of healthy eating, nutritionists recommend eating the 4 main meals of the day. They also suggest that it ‘s a good idea to dine early and not go to bed immediately after eating.

Eating according to the biological clock

It is clear that  eating habits and the level of physical activity are directly related to weight and the development or prevention of metabolic diseases. Now, besides eating patterns, what does mealtime have to do with it? What does science say about the subject?

Scientists have long known that  the human body operates according to a biological clock that regulates sleep and wake cycles based on the hours of the day. In fact, it has been determined that there is not just one, but a series of them in the different bodies.

Based on this discovery, it was recognized that metabolism follows a rhythm so that the enzyme and digestive systems are ready to receive food at certain times. Therefore, the ideal would be to base eating and sleeping patterns on this rhythm.

So, this is the premise that determines that eating earlier can help prevent diabetes and maintain an ideal weight, in addition to preventing obesity.

Early Dining Can Help Prevent Diabetes and Obesity

In relation to this issue, there are studies that suggest that  people who eat dinner immediately before going to bed have a greater chance of developing a metabolic syndrome, that is, pathologies like those mentioned in the previous section.

In a study published in the journal Nutrients , the effect of a diet of three main meals and snacks in two populations of young adults was compared. These meals were administered during the day in the first group and during the night in the second.

In it, it was found that despite having eaten identically,  those who ate exclusively at night developed indicators of insulin resistance, that is, a greater risk of developing diabetes.

Furthermore,  studies carried out with a group of students found similar results. Half of the participants were exposed to a daytime lifestyle, which included eating during daytime hours and having dinner as early as possible. In contrast, there was a similar group, but with nocturnal rhythms.

Those who formed the first sample had glucose levels within normal parameters, as well as those of the hormones leptin and insulin, responsible for the metabolism of lipids and carbohydrates. In this sense, these young people had a greater capacity to burn fat and a lower risk of developing diabetes.

So  that’s what nutrition professionals mean when they advise us to eat early. Whenever possible, this meal should be eaten at least two hours before bedtime.

In addition to having an earlier dinner, it is advisable to have breakfast

It’s not that the body isn’t able to digest nutrients overnight, but the biological clock works in a certain way. Part of this also involves eating at regular times and not skipping meals.

In this regard, the study La food per la night as an obesity-inducing factor, carried out in rats, observed that the first meal they ate restarted their daily rhythms and kept them in tune with the signals of the biological clock.

On the contrary, those who did not receive this first food started their metabolic cycles with a delay in relation to the other group. Also, they lost internal sync, which is why the early evening signals were altered. Thus, they had alterations in lipid absorption and a greater predisposition to the accumulation of adipose tissue.

Yes, having an earlier dinner can help prevent diabetes

To maintain an ideal weight, as far as possible, it  is necessary to respect the functioning of the body and keep regular times for all meals. In the case of dinner, just consume it two hours before going to bed.

​​Healthy foods must be prioritized and individual needs must be considered. To do this in the best way, it is best to consult a nutritionist.