Effect of a 2-hour interval between dinner and bedtime on glycated haemoglobin levels in middle-aged and elderly Japanese people: a longitudinal analysis of 3-year health check-up data

Abstract

IntroductionThere is a need for evidence-based measures to examine the risk factors for lifestyle-related diseases. In Japan, a 2-hour interval between dinner and sleep is recommended as a healthy practice. However, the effect of an appropriate duration between dinner and bedtime on glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels remains unclear. This study aimed to identify the effect of a duration of 2 hours or shorter between dinner and bedtime on HbA1c levels in middle-aged and elderly Japanese individuals.MethodsA longitudinal analysis of health check-up data (2012, 2013 and 2014) was performed. Lifestyle and anthropometric data of individuals aged 40–74 years who did not have any pre-diabetic and diabetic conditions were collected for multilevel analysis. Univariate analysis was performed to assess the influence of each lifestyle variable. Then, two-level random intercept models were created using statistical software SAS 9.3 (SAS Institute Inc, Cary, NC, USA).ResultsThe cohort comprised 1573 individuals in 2012, two-thirds of whom were women. The mean HbA1c level was 5.20% in 2012 and 5.58% in 2013 and 2014. A total of 83 (16.1%) men and 70 (7.5%) women fell asleep within 2 hours after dinner. The influence of ensuring a 2-hour interval between dinner and bedtime did not have a remarkable effect on increasing HbA1c levels. The regression coefficient of 2-hour interval and HbA1c levels over time was −0.02 (p=0.45). Smoking (p=0.013), alcohol consumption (p=0.010) and higher body mass index (BMI) (p<0.001) may have influenced HbA1c trends.ConclusionDurations of 2 hours or shorter between dinner and bedtime did not influence HbA1c changes in middle-aged and elderly Japanese people. Instead, the focus should be on maintaining a normal BMI and abstaining from smoking and consuming alcohol to ensure stable HbA1c patterns in the long term.

A scoping review of chronotype and temporal patterns of eating of adults: tools used, findings, and future directions

“…3), energy loading towards the latter half of the day, and a longer interval between time of last meal and bedtime. These findings are of relevance as there are epidemiological data that show an association between breakfast skipping and/or late meals and cardiometabolic health (1) , although the relationship of interval between time of last meal and bedtime on health outcomes has not been well studied (75) . Importantly, these temporal aspects of eating may all be measured using a single method the actual timing of meals (clock time), rather than patterns of meal skipping, or intervals relative to wake or sleep times.…”

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Adaptation and Validation of the Malay-Chrononutrition Profile Questionnaire to Assess Chrononutrition Behavior of Young Adults in Malaysia

“…[ 23 ] found that evening eating did contribute to weight gain and metabolic dysfunction, regardless of calorie intake. However, a study by Maw and Haga [ 24 ] found that in middle-aged and elderly Japanese persons, 2-h or shorter intervals between dinner and night did not affect HbA1C alterations. To sustain stable HbA1C patterns, the focus should be on maintaining a normal BMI value and refraining from smoking and consuming alcohol in the long run.…”