Staying up late and eating in the evening can have a major impact on the development of diabetes.
New research presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) revealed that individuals who prefer to stay up late into the night (i.e. “night owls”) place themselves at a 50% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. These individuals tend to have a higher body mass index (BMI), larger waist circumferences, and more hidden body fat compared to those who go to bed earlier. The study, led by Dr. Jeroen van der Velde of Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands, draws attention to the link between chronotype (i.e., one’s natural sleep pattern) and the development of metabolic disorders, in general.
While previous studies have connected late chronotypes to unhealthy lifestyles, such as smoking or poor diet, Dr. van der Velde’s research suggests that these behaviors alone cannot fully explain the increased risk of metabolic disorders, including Type 2. To analyze this further, the team studied more than 5,000 participants from the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity study, which examines the influence of body fat on disease development. The participants, with an average age of 56 years and a mean BMI of 30 kg/m², were divided into three groups: early chronotypes, late chronotypes, and intermediate chronotypes. From there, they provided information about their usual sleep and wake times. Over the course of the study, BMI, waist circumference, visceral fat, and liver fat were measured.
After a median follow-up period of 6.6 years, 225 participants had developed Type 2. The results, adjusted for various factors including age, sex, education, total body fat, and lifestyle habits like physical activity, diet, alcohol intake, and smoking, showed that late chronotypes had a 46% higher risk of developing the disease compared to intermediate chronotypes. Interestingly, the increased risk persisted even after accounting for lifestyle factors, suggesting that other factors may also be at play. One possible explanation is that the circadian rhythm, or body clock, of late chronotypes is misaligned with societal schedules.
The research also explored the Type 2 diabetes risk in early chronotypes, finding a slightly higher risk in early chronotypes. In addition to this increased risk, late chronotypes were found to have a 0.7 kg/m² higher BMI, a waist circumference that was 1.9 cm larger, 7 cm² more visceral fat, and 14% higher liver fat content compared to those with an intermediate chronotype. Dr. van der Velde emphasized that these findings open new avenues for exploring how changes in lifestyle habits, particularly the timing of activities like eating and exercising, might influence metabolic health.
The team also speculated on the potential benefits of altering meal timing for late chronotypes. Dr. van der Velde noted that night owls might be more inclined to eat later in the evening, which could negatively affect their metabolism. Thus, adjusting the timing of meals could be a practical first step in preventing disease development.
If easy lifestyle changes can be implemented that reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes (and other metabolic diseases), such as going to bed earlier and not eating late into the evening, this is the best way to ward off health complications. Continuing these unhealthy patterns significantly increases disease risk and, after being diagnosed, it is often much more difficult to reverse the clock and the damage done.
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Night owls have higher BMI, larger waists and face higher risk of type 2 diabetes
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