Late-Night Snacking May Harm the Liver

“Several studies have hinted at this idea, but this is one of the first long-term analyses to clearly establish an association with fatty liver disease,” said the study's lead author, Robert Vilechanowski, a hepatologist specializing in liver transplantation at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.

The researchers analyzed dietary and lifestyle data from nearly 200,000 healthy people who were followed for approximately 16 years.

Those who reported eating after dinner or after going to bed had a 36% higher risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and a 28% higher risk of cirrhosis.

The results remained consistent even after adjustments for factors such as age, diabetes, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI), an estimate of body fat based on height and weight.

The liver plays a key role in processing nutrients. Eating late at night may also increase the risk of obesity and reduced insulin sensitivity, both major risk factors for fatty liver disease, now known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

“The main takeaway here is that limiting calorie intake in the few hours before bedtime may be beneficial,” Vilechanowski said.

The study was observational and relied on self-reported data, so it cannot establish a cause-and-effect relationship.

Researchers are currently recruiting participants for a new study that will directly track their eating habits to determine whether eating earlier improves liver health.