- Someone’s chronotype has to do with when they tend to be awake or asleep.
- One area of research interest is how chronotype relates to food intake and other health outcomes.
- One study in women found that night owls had higher body-fat percentages, may be more likely to choose less nutritious food, and be at a higher risk for obesity.
Patterns of being awake or asleep may make a difference when it comes to metabolic health. A study recently published in Frontiers explored how chronotype related to factors like diet, when participants ate, and body composition.
Chronotype, as explained in the study, has to do with preferences of when to be asleep or awake in a 24-hour timeframe.
The research included over 250 women and found that those who tended to be “night owls” consumed more food in the evenings and had higher percentages of body fat.
Evening-type participants were also more likely to have blood sugar troubles and worse lipid (blood fat) profiles. The results also suggest that evening-type participants were more likely to make poorer food choices and be at a higher risk for obesity.
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Health & Wellness Editorial Team
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