Eating late at night linked to up to 30% higher risk of liver disease, study finds

A late-night snack may do more than add extra calories to your day. Researchers analysing data from nearly 200,000 people found that eating after dinner or around bedtime was associated with a higher risk of developing liver disease, including fatty liver disease and cirrhosis. The findings, reported by Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, add to growing evidence that when people eat may matter alongside what and how much they consume.The study examined data from 199,155 participants enrolled in three large US health research programmes: the Nurses’ Health Study, the Nurses’ Health Study II and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Researchers tracked participants over a median period of 16 years and examined how their eating patterns related to the development of liver disease.The analysis found that people who reported eating late at night had a higher risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and cirrhosis than those who did not report the habit. The adjusted risk was about 36% higher for MASLD and 28% higher for cirrhosis, according to the published findings. These figures rep...