At the KAHN CENTER, we not only teach optimal (whole food, plant) nutrition, we also teach timing of meals matter. Eating in a 12 hour window with at least breakfast and dinner, while omitting late night snacking, has been optimal in prior studies. However, the impact of meal timing and eating window on mortality and life expectancy remains unclear.
A new study demonstrates the importance of breakfast and the 12 hour window.
This cohort study included 31,044 adults aged 40 years and older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2018. The meal timing and the eating window were estimated from a 24-h dietary recall.
During a median follow-up of 8.6 years, 7129 deaths were documented. Compared with a first meal within 7:00–8:00, all-cause mortality was higher by 10%, 19%, and 29% for a first meal within 8:00–10:00, 10:00–12:00, and after 12:00, respectively.
The associations were also observed for cardiovascular mortality. The association between eating window and cardiovascular mortality risk varied by first meal timing. At the age of 50 years, the estimated life expectancy was on average 2.5 years shorter among participants having a first meal after 12:00 and 2.4 years shorter among those having a last meal after midnight compared with reference groups.
Later first meals and earlier or later last meals were associated with higher mortality risks and shorter life expectancy. These findings suggest that meal timing may be a modifiable behavioral factor associated with mortality risk and life expectancy.
At the KAHN CENTER, we will continue to teach a 12 hour eating window, perhaps from 7AM to 7PM, with no snacking after dinner, and inclusive of a breakfast, as an optimal timing of meals. Food quality remains an important variable.
