Why you shouldn’t have dinner after 9pm: Scientists say eating late might raise your risk of a stroke by 28%

Eating late may seem harmless, but eating after 9 p.m. can increase the risk of a stroke or mini-stroke.

One study looked at more than 100,000 people in France, who each filled out up to fifteen food diaries detailing the times of their meals on weekdays and weekends.

The third of people who ate at the earliest did so before 8 p.m., while the third who ate at the latest in the evening did so after 9 p.m.

The volunteers were followed for an average of seven years, during which time there were approximately 2,000 cases of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes.

People who ate at the latest, after 9 p.m., were 28 percent more likely to have a stroke or TIA – also known as a 'mini-stroke'.

This was compared to people who ate before 8 p.m.

The researchers say we have evolved to eat earlier in the day, with some evidence from animal studies suggesting that digesting food later increases blood sugar levels and blood pressure.

Elevated blood pressure in the evening, while normally lower, can over time damage blood vessels and increase the risk of blood clots, leading to strokes and heart attacks, although much more research is needed and timing of meals is unlikely to affect health. just like an unhealthy diet.

Dr. Bernard Srour, lead author of the study from Sorbonne University Paris Nord, said: 'Like many people, my grandmother always warned me not to eat too late, and this study suggests there may be some sense in that advice.

'Now we are a 24/7 society, where people feel like they never have enough time, many of us often eat later in the evening.

'But people who eat late because they think they are too busy to do so earlier may increase their risk of health problems, although this is more common in women, and we need more research to confirm these findings.'

The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, looked at when people eat breakfast and dinner, and their risk of cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular diseases include cerebrovascular disease – strokes and mini-strokes that affect blood flow to the brain.

It also included coronary heart problems, such as heart attacks, stable angina, and people needing angioplasty procedures for blocked and narrowed arteries.

People who ate after 9 p.m., compared to before 8 p.m., had no higher risk of coronary heart problems.

But for every hour later that someone eats, the study results suggest that the risk of a stroke or mini-stroke increases by eight percent.

For every hour later that someone ate breakfast, the risk of all types of cardiovascular disease increased by six percent.

The link between meals and heart problems was mainly seen in women, who made up almost 80 percent of the study volunteers.

The only result that was significant for men was that every hour later they ate breakfast was linked to an 11 percent increased risk of coronary heart disease – but this may be because there were too few men in the study to produce statistically significant results.

The study found more evidence, as previous research found, that an extended period of not eating at night could be good for your health.

Each additional hour of overnight fasting was associated with a seven percent lower risk of stroke or mini-stroke.

However, this seemed to be caused by people eating early and fasting longer before breakfast, and not by the strategy of eating late and having a late breakfast the next day.

WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?

Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole grains, according to the NHS

• Eat at least 5 portions of varied fruit and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count

• Basic meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole wheat

• 30 grams of fiber per day: This is the same as eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 whole wheat cereal biscuits, 2 thick slices of whole wheat bread and a large baked potato with the skin still on

• Provide some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks), opting for lower fat and lower sugar options

• Eat some beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish per week, one portion of which is fatty)

• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume them in small quantities

• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water per day

• Adults should have less than 6 grams of salt and 20 grams of saturated fat for women or 30 grams for men per day

Source: NHS Eatwell guide