Eating after 6 p.m. increases risk of growing fat: study

Published : Jul 14, 2016 - 13:32 Updated : Jul 14, 2016 - 13:32

Eating after 6 p.m. could lead to more belly fat, said a health and nutrition study published Thursday.

According to the Hallym University Medical Center research team, people who consumed 57 percent of their daily diet after 6 p.m. had a 1.3 percent higher risk of growing fat around the waist compared to those who ate only 18 percent of their meals after 6 p.m.

(123RF)

The research had divided some 15,000 participants into five groups according to how much of their daily diet was consumed between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. The effect their meal times had on weight gain was then analyzed.

The analysis was published in the most recent journal of Korean Center for the Study of Obesity.

Professor Choi Min-kyu of the research team emphasized the importance for people to know their recommended daily calorie consumption and to avoid taking more than half of the advised intake amount after 6 p.m.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends men between 19 and 30 to consume 2400 to 3000 calories daily, and women in the same age group to consume 1800 to 2400 calories, based on the intensity of their daily activities.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)