Eating after dinner or close to bedtime is associated with a greater chance of developing liver disease, according to a long-term study from researchers at Oregon Health & Science University and Massachusetts General Hospital. The work, published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, suggests that meal timing — not only what and how much people eat — may shape liver health over the long run.

What did the researchers find?

The team followed 199,155 adults enrolled in three large U.S. cohort studies: the Nurses' Health Study, Nurses' Health Study II and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Participants, whose average age was 59, reported their eating and lifestyle habits every two to four years over a median of about 16 years. Late-night eating was defined as consuming food between dinner and bedtime, or after a person's usual bedtime.

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Compared with people who avoided eating late, those who did so regularly had a 36% higher risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) — the fat buildup in the liver commonly called fatty liver disease — and a 28% higher risk of cirrhosis, according to the study. The link held after accounting for age, body mass index, calorie intake, diet quality, smoking, physical activity, alcohol use and diabetes.

Why might the clock matter?

Fatty liver disease affects as much as 30% of the U.S. population, and most people with MASLD do not progress to cirrhosis; one estimate cited in the reporting puts that share at 3 to 5%. Researchers suspect the elevated risk relates to circadian rhythms, the roughly 24-hour internal cycle that governs sleep, hormone release and energy metabolism. The liver runs on that schedule, so eating late may interfere with normal metabolic processing and encourage fat accumulation.

What should readers take away?

The authors stop short of clinical advice. Co-author Andrew McHill said it is reasonable to avoid eating in the two to four hours before a usual bedtime, while noting that the analysis cannot support firm recommendations and that more research is needed. Melissa Mroz-Planells, another co-author, said an occasional nighttime snack is not unhealthy on its own.

FAQ

Is one late snack dangerous?

No. The study looked at habitual patterns over many years, and its authors say occasional evening eating is not a harmful habit by itself.

Does this mean I should change my dinner time?

The researchers suggest avoiding food in the few hours before bed, but they caution that the findings are observational and do not prove cause and effect.