Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have identified a possible overlooked factor in liver health: the timing of meals. An analysis of almost 200,000 adults revealed that participants who reported eating after dinner or close to bedtime experienced roughly a 20 % to 30 % higher prevalence of metabolic dysfunction‑associated steatotic liver disease—commonly known as fatty liver disease—and cirrhosis compared with those who did not eat late.
Study design and population
The investigation drew on dietary and lifestyle data from three long‑term cohort studies, including the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow‑up Study. Participants provided self‑reported information about when they typically ate relative to their evening meals and bedtime. By linking these reports with medical outcomes, the researchers were able to assess associations between late‑night eating and liver disease across a large, diverse adult population.
Why timing may matter for the liver
According to lead author Dr. Robert Wilechansky, a hepatologist at OHSU, the liver’s metabolic functions are closely aligned with the body’s circadian rhythms. “We know the liver is very much in tune with the body’s circadian rhythms,” he said. “So we’re interested in changing the timing of eating in a way that could make a difference in health, without changing the composition of what people eat.” The hypothesis is that consuming calories when the internal clock is preparing for sleep could disrupt normal metabolic processing, potentially promoting fat accumulation in the liver.
Co‑author Dr. Andrew McHill, a sleep and circadian physiologist, emphasized the broader relevance of timing. “We are seeing over and over again that the timing of behaviors, whether it’s sleep, eating or exercise, really matters,” he noted.
Interpretation, limitations and next steps
The authors caution that the findings do not prove causation. The study relied on participants’ recollection of eating habits, and as an observational analysis, it cannot definitively establish that late‑night meals cause liver disease. Moreover, Dr. Wilechansky stressed that only a small fraction of individuals who develop fatty liver progress to severe conditions such as cirrhosis.
Nevertheless, the researchers suggest that restricting calorie intake to earlier hours may offer a simple, low‑cost strategy to support liver health. “Even so, the big take‑away here is that confining your calorie intake to several hours before bedtime might be beneficial,” Dr. Wilechansky said.
Building on these observations, OHSU is now recruiting participants for a clinical trial designed to test whether shifting dinner to an earlier time improves objective measures of fatty liver disease. The trial will provide experimental data to determine if altering meal timing can directly influence liver health outcomes.
While the study adds to a growing body of evidence that circadian alignment influences metabolic disease, experts recommend that individuals consider both what they eat and when they eat as part of a comprehensive approach to liver wellness.
Helene Elliott is the Lead Science & Space Reporter at News Raise. She reports on aerospace missions, astrophysics discoveries, quantum research, and environmental technology.
