Whether a late distribution of food intake impacts obesity through increased energy intake remains uncertain and the behavioural characterization of late eating needs to be further investigated. The first objective of this study was to assess the associations between late eating and body mass index (BMI) and total energy intake (TEI), and whether TEI mediates the association between late eating and BMI. The second objective was to assess the associations between late eating and eating behaviour traits or psychosocial factors and whether eating behaviour traits mediate the association between late eating and TEI.
Baseline data from 301 individuals (56% women, age = 38.7 ± 8.5 years; BMI = 33.2 ± 3.4 kg/m2), who participated in four weight loss studies were used in this cross-sectional study. Total energy intake was assessed using a three-day food record from which the percentage of TEI after 17:00 and after 20:00 was calculated. Eating behaviour traits and psychosocial factors were assessed with questionnaires. Pearson correlations and mediation analyses adjusted for age, sex, underreporting of energy intake, sleep duration and bedtime were performed.
Percent TEI after 17:00 and after 20:00 were associated with TEI (
Late eating is associated with TEI and suboptimal eating behaviours which could contribute to explaining the association between timing of food intake and obesity.