The study monitored nearly 1,200 overweight and obese adults in Spain who participated in a 16-week weight loss program. About 80% of them were women, with an average age of 41 years. Scientists calculated a polygenic risk score for body mass index, which is a genetic measure of obesity risk. They tracked the participants’ meal times and classified them as “early eaters” and “late eaters” based on the timing of their meals, especially the first and last ones.
They also noted that the issue could be exacerbated. During the study period, participants with a high genetic predisposition to obesity experienced an increase in their body mass index by more than two points for each hour they delayed their meals.
No such correlation was observed among individuals with low genetic risks. The study concluded that these findings suggest that eating earlier could be particularly important for individuals with a genetic predisposition to obesity.
