Breakfast timing might impact your risk of heart disease. Some evidence suggests that breakfast after 9 a.m. can worsen cardiovascular outcomes, especially among women.
How Meal Timing Affects Heart Disease Risk
A 2023 study was one of the first of its kind to find a potential link between meal timing and heart disease risk.
“Former studies have found possible links between skipping breakfast and less favorable metabolic health,” Bernard Srour, PharmD, PhD, MPH, one of the study’s authors, told Health. “Not much is known about the link between meal timing and cardiovascular diseases.
The researchers gathered data from over 103,000 adults (the majority of whom were women) enrolled in the NutriNet-Santé study. This large French cohort has tracked subjects’ health habits since 2009.
The team analyzed an average of 5.7 days of subjects’ 24-hour dietary records over 7.2 years. They found that people who ate breakfast after 9 a.m. had a higher risk of heart disease. Each additional hour of delay increased their risk.
The same was true for each hour of delay in the last meal of the day. People who ate dinner after 9:00 p.m. had a 28% higher risk of cerebrovascular disease than those who ate earlier than 8:00 p.m.
Cerebrovascular disease is a group of conditions that affect the blood supply to your brain. Low oxygen levels can cause damage.
Interferes With Your Circadian Rhythm
“Meal timing regulates the biological clocks that are involved in several circadian functions like regulating blood pressure, metabolism, and hormonal secretion,” said Srour.
Each of these factors plays a major role in heart health.
Decreases Insulin Sensitivity
Your circadian rhythm has a powerful sway over insulin sensitivity—the degree to which your body can use sugar from food. You’re more sensitive to insulin in the morning than in the evening.
When this sensitivity decreases and causes insulin resistance, it can lead to inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and hypertension (high blood pressure).
By delaying morning meals, you may have poorer insulin uptake and, thus, an increased heart disease risk, said Bhupendar Tayal, MD, a cardiologist at UAMS Medical Center.
Impairs Metabolism
Eating later in the evening, when melatonin (the sleep hormone) is at its peak, may hinder your body’s ability to metabolize food efficiently.
A 2020 study found that eating later at night was more likely to cause weight gain and impair fat metabolism. Obesity is strongly linked to heart disease, so eating later might also increase your risk.
Limitations To Keep in Mind
Although the 2023 study found a significant link between meal timing and heart disease, it isn’t without a few limitations. Its findings show a correlation, not necessarily causation.
Subjects who ate later at night also had a variety of less heart-healthy behaviors than those who ate earlier. They were more likely to smoke, drink more alcohol, and have later bedtimes.
It’s possible that these behaviors, not just their later meal timings, raised their risk of heart disease.
When Should You Eat Breakfast?
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to meal times, but certain patterns may be more heart-healthy than others.
“Our study shows that it could be beneficial to eat early in the morning and stop early in the evening to ensure a long enough nighttime fasting duration,” said Srour. However, more research is needed to confirm cardiovascular outcomes.
It’s also important to eat consistently. “Skipping meals, specifically breakfast, is not advised as it leads to increased obesity,” Tayal told Health.
Eating late at night has also been linked with increased rates of obesity, which can increase the risk of heart disease.
“Our metabolism is low late in the evening because of increased melatonin levels,” said Tayal. “The ideal time for eating, in my opinion, is an early breakfast (depending on when you wake up) and evening meal usually at least three hours before bedtime.”
Simple Ways To Lower Your Heart Disease Risk
Besides tweaking the timing of your meals, for heart health, focus on the contents of your plate.
Opt for a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and fish (such as the Mediterranean or DASH diet) to support heart health.
“Avoiding food containing high sodium and reducing alcohol intake is also very important,” said Tayal.
The American Heart Association (AHA)’s recommendations for a heart-healthy diet include:
- Lean proteins
- Limited sugars
- Low-fat dairy
- Minimally processed foods
- Plenty of fruits and vegetables
- Whole grains
It’s okay if the occasional delayed breakfast or late-night dinner slips into your schedule. Sticking mostly to these foods will go a long way toward protecting your heart health.
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