Oregon Health & Science University study links late-night eating to liver disease risk

A large-scale study involving nearly 200,000 participants has found a link between late-night eating and an increased risk of serious liver diseases. Researchers led by Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) analyzed data from three major datasets: the Nurses' Health Study, the Nurses' Health Study II, and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.

The findings, published in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, suggest that individuals who eat after dinner or after going to bed face a 20% to 30% higher risk of liver conditions. Specifically, the research indicated a 36% higher risk of developing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and a 28% higher risk of cirrhosis.

Lead author Dr. Robert Wilechansky noted that while previous studies have hinted at this connection, this represents one of the first long-term analyses to explicitly link meal timing to fatty liver disease. The study focused on the timing of food consumption rather than the specific types of food eaten, highlighting the potential role of the body's circadian rhythm in metabolic health. While the study shows a significant correlation, researchers noted it is based on observational data and does not definitively prove that the timing of meals causes the disease.