If there is one thing that distinguishes the eating habits of Spaniards from other Mediterranean countries, it is their programs. But maybe we have something to gain by increasing our caloric intake, or at least that’s the result of the last two studies.

Experiment with food.
For a long time, experts have observed that snacking or even eating dinner shortly before bed is linked to higher levels of overweight and obesity. Two studies recently published in the journal Cell Metabolism investigated the reason for this relationship.

“Previous studies (…) have shown that late meals are associated with an increased risk of obesity, body fat, and inability to lose weight. Frank Scheer, a professor at Harvard Medical School and a co-author of one of the studies, explained in a press release.

Hunger.
And both teams are pointing in the same direction: The key is in the hunger we feel. The first study was conducted with 30 participants on controlled diets that had the same caloric value but differed in program (one “loaded” in the morning and “loaded” in the afternoon).

Although there were differences in weight loss between the two groups, the group that consumed more calories at dinner and fewer calories in the morning was the group that showed more hunger.

key variables.
The feeling of fullness and hunger is regulated by two hormones, leptin and ghrelin, respectively. The second study, in which Scheer participated, took a group of 16 patients and looked at the effect of meal schedules based on patients’ sleep schedules. They examined the presence of these hormones in the participants’ blood, among other variables.

Rather than changing the calorie balance of meals, what this team changed was when meals were eaten. Participants had the same menus for three meals of the day, with a difference of four hours.

In addition to leptin and ghrelin levels, the researchers analyzed each participant’s energy expenditure through indirect calorimetry, a technique that relies on the study of the oxygen each body consumes and the carbon dioxide it produces. The researchers even analyzed the adipose tissue of some of the participants to examine the variations.

Eating in the lab.
One of the problems facing researchers in the field of nutrition is the extreme variability of our diets. The foods we consume depend on the products we consume, the size of the portion and the preparation.

Scheer’s is a “lab” experiment, certainly not because it was done in one go, but because the researchers created a controlled environment: all participants ate the same thing. Sleep times were also a factor the researchers had to control, as mealtimes were adjusted for sleep times.

Measurable effects.
The results of the experiment confirmed the differences in ghrelin and specifically leptin levels between the two groups, explaining the greater hunger sensation described in the other study.

Beyond hunger, when looking at energy intake, the researchers found that participants in the delayed meal group burned calories at a slower rate. As if that wasn’t enough, examination of adipose tissues also showed a greater tendency for fat accumulation in this group.

Good diet, bad habits?
Uses and customs don’t appear out of nowhere, and while it’s true that people in Spain eat and eat later than usual, dinners are usually lighter. Therefore, it cannot be concluded that eating and eating late are always bad options, but it is possible to improve your health by introducing some meals earlier in the day. Of course, in addition to avoiding the dreaded night raid on the refrigerator.

Image | erenli