Do Temporal Eating Patterns Differ in Healthy versus Unhealthy Overweight/Obese Individuals?

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Metabolic Health
• Chronobiology

Background:

• Metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) can progress to metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO).
• Temporal patterns of energy and macronutrient intake, or chrono-nutrition, may influence metabolic health.
• Understanding these patterns in non-shift workers is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between early and late eating windows and the risk of MUO versus MHO.
• To identify specific macronutrient intake patterns related to metabolic health status in overweight/obese individuals.
• To explore the role of energy intake timing in the progression from MHO to MUO.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 299 overweight/obese non-shift workers in Malaysia.
• Assessment of biochemical parameters from fasting blood samples.
• Collection of dietary intake and timing data using a 7-day diet history questionnaire.

Main Results:

• Metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) participants showed lower early-window carbohydrate and protein intake compared to MHO.
• MUO participants consumed more carbohydrates and fat during the late eating window.
• Lower energy intake during early windows and higher intake during late windows were associated with increased MUO risk (ORs ranging from 2.33 to 4.45).

Conclusions:

• Consuming less energy earlier in the day and more energy and carbohydrates later is associated with a higher risk of MUO.
• Chrono-nutrition practices, specifically timing of energy intake, may be a modifiable factor in metabolic health.
• Further prospective research is needed to confirm these findings and explore interventions for delaying MHO to MUO transition.