Time-Related Eating Patterns Are Associated with the Total Daily Intake of Calories and Macronutrients in Day and Night Shift Workers

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate whether time-related eating patterns are associated with the daily intake of calories and macronutrients in Brazilian male military police officers (n = 81; 29-day and 52-night workers; mean age: 36.4 ± 0.9 and 38.5 ± 0.7 years, respectively). Energy and macronutrient intake were determined by a non-consecutive 3-day food recall. Time-related eating patterns, such as the time of the first and the last meals, eating duration, and caloric midpoint, were evaluated. Individuals were classified as “early” or “late” eaters according to the median caloric midpoint. Night shift workers showed a later eating time for the last meal (p < 0.001), longer eating duration (p < 0.001), and later caloric midpoint (p = 0.037) than day workers. Late eaters from both workgroups consumed more 24 h energy (p = 0.028), fat in calories (p = 0.006) and protein (calories: p < 0.001; percentage of total calories: p = 0.042), and less carbohydrates in calories (p = 0.010) intake than early eaters. The time of the first meal was negatively correlated with 24 h energy (p = 0.024) and carbohydrate (p = 0.031) intake only in day workers. The time of the last meal was positively correlated with 24 h energy (day workers: β = 0.352; p = 0.044; night workers: β = 0.424; p = 0.002) and protein (day workers: β = 0.451; p = 0.013; night workers: β = 0.536; p < 0.001) intake for both shift workers, and with carbohydrate (β = 0.346; p = 0.016) and fat (β = 0.286; p = 0.042) intake only in night workers. Eating duration was positively correlated with energy (day workers: β = 0.473; p = 0.004; night workers: β = 0.320; p = 0.023) and carbohydrate (day workers: β = 0.418; p = 0.011; night workers: β = 0.364; p = 0.010) intake in both groups. Thus, time-related eating patterns indicative of intake later at night are associated with increased daily energy and macronutrient intake.

Impact of Nighttime Food Consumption and Feasibility of Fasting during Night Work: A Narrative Review

“…Across shifts, the eating window is aligned with the waking time; the longer the waking time, the longer the eating window and the greater the calorie consumption [11]. The amount of energy intake seems to be associated with the eating window, as we showed in previous studies conducted from our research group [11,23]. Studying rotating shift workers from a miner company, we found that the wakefulness promoted by the transition from afternoon to night shifts leads to the largest eating window of the schedule (20.7 ± 1.2 h) and, consequently, the highest energy intake (3410 ± 235 kcal) at the same period [11].…”

“…In another study, we evaluated time-related eating patterns of day and night military police officers and showed that those shift workers with later caloric midpoint, both day and night shift workers, had higher energy intake compared to earlier eaters. However, when compared with day workers, night workers had a later caloric midpoint, which is a consequence of the extended period of wakefulness promoted by the night shift [23].…”

“…Against the backdrop of energy intake equivalence in 24 h and some qualitative differences, some studies have recently begun to investigate the temporal distribution of meal consumption [10,12,23,24], the eating window [10,11,23] and its association with energy intake. According to a review conducted by [28], while day workers present a pattern of 3 meals in a 24 h period, shift workers have difficulty maintaining a regular pattern of meals and times.…”

“…In this way, the extended periods of wakefulness during night shifts seem to contribute to an extended eating window and, consequently, to higher energy intake [11]. Studies have shown that shift workers consume a significant part of their meals at night [23,24], in a period of poor postprandial metabolism [25,26]. Consequently, the physiological overnight fasting is substantially reduced [24].…”

Association between Late-Eating Pattern and Higher Consumption of Ultra-Processed Food among Italian Adults: Findings from the INHES Study

“…Population studies suggest that late eating, which refers to a delay in the timing of meals (usually the main meal of the day or the last meal, i.e., dinner) [ 12 ] may be a factor implicated in obesity and other non-communicable diseases related to nutrition [ 13 , 14 , 15 ]. Potential mechanistic links through which meal timing may promote obesity and associated diseases include, among others, the lower diet quality and higher calorie intake observed in late eaters [ 16 , 17 , 18 ]. However, no prior studies to date have evaluated the possible association of meal timing with the intake of foods with different degrees of processing.…”