The researchers studied two groups of mice who were fed identical diets. Mice are nocturnal and usually consume most of their calories at night and spend the day sleeping. For the study, one group of mice was fed during the day (simulating late-night eating in humans) and one group was fed at night.
At the end of six weeks, mice in both groups had consumed roughly the same calories and gotten the same amounts of exercise. However, the mice that ate during the day (similar to eating at night for a human) showed an average increase in body weight of 48 percent, while mice that ate on their regular schedule had an average increase in body weight of about 20 percent.
The study's authors noted that night-eating is counter to natural behavior because humans evolved in habitats where food was foraged for or hunted and consumed between sunrise and sunset. After sunset, with no refrigerators or additional food sitting around, people didn't eat. However, today, people consume most of their calories late in the day and after dark.
(Source: well.blogs.nytimes.com)
Labels: late night eating, weight gain
Posted By: Aspen Education Group
It is really nice to read this article. Thanks for simple way of writing and giving all the detail which need. Once again thanks.
If you too have put on 5-10 kilos of weight in the late 30s, then you are not alone. Weight gain between late 30s and early 40s is pretty common. As common as it is, we find ourselves unable to grapple with this change that comes when you are older. We were the fashion diva or sports fanatic but we dont look the part anymore and it really frustrates us.
http://www.medimanage.com/my-weight/articles/how-to-lose-midlife-weight-gain.aspx