Nutrition & DietLate-night eating raises liver disease risk by up to 30%
Eating late at night may take a toll on your liver. Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University analyzed data from nearly 200,000 people across three major U.S. cohorts: the Nurses' Health Study, Nurses' Health Study II, and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Participants who regularly ate after dinner or around bedtime had a 20% to 30% higher risk of liver disease, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (fatty liver disease) and cirrhosis. The authors suggest circadian rhythms may help explain the link, since the liver is highly sensitive to the body's daily clock and helps regulate blood sugar and energy storage. The finding is an association, not proof of cause. Still, the lead author says confining calorie intake to the hours well before bedtime may be beneficial. Fatty liver affects up to 30% of Americans, though only a small fraction progress to cirrhosis.
