0158 Examining the Impact of Late versus Early Meal Timing on Mood in a Randomized Crossover Trial
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial
Abstract: Introduction Among shift workers, there is an increased prevalence of mood-related disorders. Our previous work showed that simulated night shifts adversely affect mood. We have also shown that daytime meal intake only, versus daytime and nighttime, during simulated night shifts, mitigated such adverse effects. These observations indicate that aligning mealtime to the circadian system can benefit mood independent of mistimed sleep/wake schedules. However, whether changing the timing of food intake without changing the sleep/wake cycle influences mood regulation is unknown. We hypothesize that a later eating schedule worsens mood compared to an earlier one during day shifts. Methods We conducted a randomized, controlled, crossover trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02298790) to determine the effects of late versus early eating while rigorously controlling nutrient intake, physical activity, sleep, and light exposure. We assessed eight mood perception measures hourly during two test days for both eating protocols to assess the effect of the first day and the fourth day of late eating. Mood was assessed using computerized visual analog scales (VAS). The main outcome for mood was “HAPPY” (from 0 sad to 100 happy). We also assessed three measures for well-being (“SICK”, “STRESSED”, and “UNMOTIVATED”), and four for mental/physical sleepiness (“ALERT”, “SHARP”, “FRESH AS A DAISY”, and “PHYSICALLY EXHAUSTED”). Measures were analyzed by linear mixed model. Results 15 participants (mean±SD; age, 36.06±10.8 years; 4 women; BMI, 29.05±2.47 kg/m2) completed this study and contributed mood data. During the test days, late eating decreased the daily average rating of “HAPPY” (p=0.0074). Consistently, late eating increased the daily average rating of “SICK” (p=0.0043). However, late eating decreased ratings of “UNMOTIVATED” (p=0.0003) and “PHYSICALLY EXHAUSTED” (p=0.0313). There was an interaction effect of protocol (late vs. early eating) and test day (first vs. fourth day) for “FRESH AS A DAISY” (p=0.0346) and “ALERT” (p=0.0021), being greater for late eating during the fourth day. The other measures were not significantly influenced. Conclusion These findings demonstrate that meal timing may affect mood. Future studies are required to examine if longer-term changes in meal timing affect mood and determine underlying mechanisms. Support (if any) NIH R01-DK099512
Source: SLEEP
Institution: Brigham and Women's Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4410502135