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There’s a lot of controversy regarding consuming meals and its relation to cardiovascular risk. Does eating right before bedtime spike the heart rate? Or, does skipping meals aid in a healthy heart? From fitness influencers to lifestyle magazines claiming different myths and providing various suggestions on how to manage heart health, according to India TV News, a new study published in the journal Nature Communications revealed the relation between food intake patterns and cardiovascular disease.
In today’s modern environment, chaotic and schedule-packed lifestyles dictate mealtimes, often nudging breakfast to the sidelines and dinner into late-night indulgences. But little do we know, these arbitrary choices are silently contributing to various changes within our bodies that can set the stage for heart trouble. Cardiovascular diseases, which also included heart attacks and strokes are the dominating causes of mortality. This new research provides valuable insights into simple measures individuals can adopt to safeguard their heart health.
About The Research
According to the Nature Communications journal, by simply eating healthy meals earlier, can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Pamela Martyn-Nemeth, PhD, RN, and a professor in the Department of Biobehavioral Nursing Science at the University of Illinois Chicago says: “Earlier breakfast times and earlier dinner times is beneficial, in terms of metabolism.”
The study published on December 14, looked at data from 103,389 participants in the NutriNet-Sante cohort (where 79 per cent were women, with an average age of 42) to study the connection between food intake and it’s contribution to cardiovascular disease. To reduce the risk of possible bias, the researchers also accounted for extensive sociodemographic factors (age, sex, family situation, etc.), diet, nutritional quality, lifestyle, and sleep cycle.
Timing Of Food Intake And Its Relation To Cardiovascular Risks
Based on the research reported by India TV News, having a first meal later in the day (for instance, skipping breakfast) is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, with a 6 per cent increase in risk per hour delay than someone who eats at 8 a.m.
The study further added: “When it comes to the last meal of the day, eating late (after 9 p.m.) is associated with a 28 per cent increase in the risk of cerebrovascular disease such as stroke compared with eating before 8 p.m., particularly in women.”
According to Healthline, the study also found that “each additional hour in delaying the time of last meal was associated with an 8% increased risk of cerebrovascular disease.” People who consumed their last meal after 9 pm had a 28% higher risk of cerebrovascular disease in comparison to those who ate their last meal before 8 pm.
While Martyn-Nemeth was not involved in the study, she adds that more research is still needed; however, she states that the study had several strengths, such as the inclusion of a large number of participants, emphasis on following-up, and that researchers factored in other various variables that can impact cardiovascular risk.
