As well as contributing to weight gain, a new study has suggested that snacking late at night could increase your risk of diabetes and heart disease.
一项新研究显示，吃宵夜不但会让体重增加，还会增加患糖尿病和心脏病的风险。
Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found that eating late at night raises glucose and insulin levels, both of which are causes of type 2 diabetes.
They also found evidence that poor timing of meals can also affect cholesterol levels which can increase the risk of heart disease or suffering a heart attack.
Namni Goel, lead author of the study, said: "Eating later can promote a negative profile of weight, energy and hormone markers - such as higher glucose and insulin, which are implicated in diabetes, and cholesterol and triglycerides, which are linked with cardiovascular problems and other health conditions."
This isn't the first time a study has suggested that late night snacking could be detrimental to your health. Here we round up five reasons why you should avoid eating late at night ...
1. It can affect your memory: According to American researchers, snacking late at night could negatively affect your memory. The study, from the University of California, found that eating at irregular hours - such as late at night - had the potential to impact cognitive functions.
2. It makes you have weird dreams: In 2015, a pair of Canadian psychologists investigated whether people's eating habits can have a negative effect on sleep patterns and dreaming.
3. It increases the risk of a heart attack: Experts have found that eating dinner after 7pm could increase the risk of suffering a heart attack. Researchers from Dokuz Eylül University assessed more than 700 adults with high blood pressure in order to find out whether different eating times made a difference to their health.
4. It creates acid reflux: According to experts, eating late at night (especially heavy foods) and going to sleep shortly after is a key contributor to acid reflux.
5. It makes you hungrier the next day: Eating late at night can have you feeling hungrier than usual when you wake up the next morning thanks to the insulin your pancreas releases after a meal. 英语新闻
