The scientists analyzed dietary habits and health data from three major long-running studies: the Nurses’ Health Study, its sequel, and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. In total, researchers tracked nearly 200,000 people for a median of 16 years. They found 4,477 cases of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD, often called fatty liver) and 312 cases of cirrhosis.
After factoring in tons of variables like age, body mass, calories, diabetes, cholesterol, exercise, smoking, alcohol, and overall diet quality, late-night eating still stood out as a risk factor. People who reported eating late regularly had a 31% higher relative risk of MASLD and a 28% higher risk for cirrhosis compared to those who didn’t eat late.
However, remember, these are relative risk numbers, not the actual odds for any one person. Plus, the study relied on self-reported eating and diagnoses, so more research is needed to prove that shifting meal times can actually prevent these diseases.