Consuming a higher proportion of daily calories after 6 pm is associated with a greater risk of developing cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke in women, a study claims.
The research, to be presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions in Philadelphia in the US from November 16 to 18, evaluated the cardiovascular health of 112 women with an average age of 33 (44 percent Hispanic) by measuring their cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels at the beginning of the study, and one year later.
The researchers used the data from the food diary completed by each woman to determine the relationship between heart health and the timing of when they ate.
The researchers, including those from Columbia University from the US, used the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 measures which represent the heart disease risk factors people can overcome through lifestyle changes such as not smoking, being physically active, eating healthy foods and controlling body weight.
They also computed a heart health score for the participants based on meeting the Life's Simple 7.
They found that while most study participants consumed some food after 6 PM, those who consumed a higher proportion of their daily calories after this time had poorer heart health.
