Eating a late dinner can cause weight gain and high blood sugar levels, study says

A study published from the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism says eating a late dinner can cause weight gain and high blood sugar levels.

Researchers say people who eat dinner at late hours experience peak blood sugar levels almost 20-percent higher than people who eat at early times regardless of the amount of calories consumed.

The study also suggests eating late can affect the amount of fat the body burns by 10-percent less when compared to those who ate an early dinner. Experts say the effects seen in healthy volunteers might be more pronounced in people with obesity, diabetes or people who already have a compromised metabolism.

Study author Dr. Jonathan C. Jun, associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University said the most interesting part of the study is that researchers found not everyone reacts to eating late meals the same way.

Jun said people that eat as late as two or three in the morning seem to be unaffected.

Experts recommend people to eat healthy snacks in the afternoon to curb the appetite when working long days.