Prospective associations between later eating rhythm and obesity in school-age children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)

Mengxuan Zou; Kate Northstone; Sam D Leary

Abstract

Purpose:
Later eating rhythm (LER), termed night eating in adult studies, refers to a later timing, greater energy intake (EI), and higher meal frequency in children in the evening. The role of eating later in obesity development is emerging, but most evidence is cross-sectional, considers just one feature of LER and is rarely studied in children. Therefore, we investigated associations of LER at age 7 with adiposity over 2 years of follow-up.

Methods:
A total of 4029 children aged 7 years with complete 3-day food diaries from the ongoing UK birth cohort (ALSPAC) were included. Diaries recorded the exact time of, and energy consumed in each eating occasion (EO). An individual EO was separated by the unique time of food intake. Bedtime was parent-reported via questionnaire. “Last mealtime” was the time of the last reported EO; “Eating before bedtime” was the percentage of total energy intake (%TEI) consumed within 2 hours before bedtime; “Eating frequency” was the counts of EOs for 5pm-12am; all variables were averaged over 3 days. Outcomes (body mass index (BMI); overweight/obesity) were assessed at 9 years. Multiple linear and logistic regression was used for estimating the association between LER and each outcome. Interaction analysis was used to assess gender differences. Adjustment was made for age, gender, ethnicity, parental education, maternal age, TV watching and parental late eating.

Results:
Average last mealtime was 7.10pm (SD 56mins), boys ate 6.0 mins (SE 1.8 mins) later than girls (p=0.001). Children consumed 17.2% (SD 11.9%) of TEI before bedtime with no gender differences (p=0.858). Average eating frequency was 2.3 (SD 0.9) EOs, 2.4 in boys vs. 2.2 in girls (p
Conclusions:
We observed that the timing and EI, but not frequency, of later eating occasions was prospectively associated with obesity in children. Therefore, LER should be considered when developing dietary guidelines in children.

Original language	English
Pages	485
Publication status	Published - 21 May 2022
Event	International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2022 Annual Meeting - Phoenix, Arizona, USA, Phoenix, United States Duration: 18 May 2022 → 21 May 2022

Conference

Conference	International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2022 Annual Meeting
Abbreviated title	ISBNPA 2022
Country/Territory	United States
City	Phoenix
Period	18/05/22 → 21/05/22

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This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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Cite this

@conference{73b8bc5fed66471f9dd25e2c94fdae68,

title = "Prospective associations between later eating rhythm and obesity in school-age children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)",

abstract = "Purpose: Later eating rhythm (LER), termed night eating in adult studies, refers to a later timing, greater energy intake (EI), and higher meal frequency in children in the evening. The role of eating later in obesity development is emerging, but most evidence is cross-sectional, considers just one feature of LER and is rarely studied in children. Therefore, we investigated associations of LER at age 7 with adiposity over 2 years of follow-up. Methods: A total of 4029 children aged 7 years with complete 3-day food diaries from the ongoing UK birth cohort (ALSPAC) were included. Diaries recorded the exact time of, and energy consumed in each eating occasion (EO). An individual EO was separated by the unique time of food intake. Bedtime was parent-reported via questionnaire. “Last mealtime” was the time of the last reported EO; “Eating before bedtime” was the percentage of total energy intake (\%TEI) consumed within 2 hours before bedtime; “Eating frequency” was the counts of EOs for 5pm-12am; all variables were averaged over 3 days. Outcomes (body mass index (BMI); overweight/obesity) were assessed at 9 years. Multiple linear and logistic regression was used for estimating the association between LER and each outcome. Interaction analysis was used to assess gender differences. Adjustment was made for age, gender, ethnicity, parental education, maternal age, TV watching and parental late eating. Results: Average last mealtime was 7.10pm (SD 56mins), boys ate 6.0 mins (SE 1.8 mins) later than girls (p=0.001). Children consumed 17.2\% (SD 11.9\%) of TEI before bedtime with no gender differences (p=0.858). Average eating frequency was 2.3 (SD 0.9) EOs, 2.4 in boys vs. 2.2 in girls (p Conclusions: We observed that the timing and EI, but not frequency, of later eating occasions was prospectively associated with obesity in children. Therefore, LER should be considered when developing dietary guidelines in children. ",

author = "Mengxuan Zou and Kate Northstone and Leary, \{Sam D\}",

year = "2022",

month = may,

day = "21",

language = "English",

pages = "485",

note = "International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2022 Annual Meeting, ISBNPA 2022 ; Conference date: 18-05-2022 Through 21-05-2022",

}

Prospective associations between later eating rhythm and obesity in school-age children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). / Zou, Mengxuan ; Northstone, Kate ; Leary, Sam D.
2022. 485 Abstract from International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2022 Annual Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona, United States.

Research output: Contribution to conference › Conference Abstract

TY - CONF

T1 - Prospective associations between later eating rhythm and obesity in school-age children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)

AU - Zou, Mengxuan

AU - Northstone, Kate

AU - Leary, Sam D

PY - 2022/5/21

Y1 - 2022/5/21

N2 - Purpose: Later eating rhythm (LER), termed night eating in adult studies, refers to a later timing, greater energy intake (EI), and higher meal frequency in children in the evening. The role of eating later in obesity development is emerging, but most evidence is cross-sectional, considers just one feature of LER and is rarely studied in children. Therefore, we investigated associations of LER at age 7 with adiposity over 2 years of follow-up. Methods: A total of 4029 children aged 7 years with complete 3-day food diaries from the ongoing UK birth cohort (ALSPAC) were included. Diaries recorded the exact time of, and energy consumed in each eating occasion (EO). An individual EO was separated by the unique time of food intake. Bedtime was parent-reported via questionnaire. “Last mealtime” was the time of the last reported EO; “Eating before bedtime” was the percentage of total energy intake (%TEI) consumed within 2 hours before bedtime; “Eating frequency” was the counts of EOs for 5pm-12am; all variables were averaged over 3 days. Outcomes (body mass index (BMI); overweight/obesity) were assessed at 9 years. Multiple linear and logistic regression was used for estimating the association between LER and each outcome. Interaction analysis was used to assess gender differences. Adjustment was made for age, gender, ethnicity, parental education, maternal age, TV watching and parental late eating. Results: Average last mealtime was 7.10pm (SD 56mins), boys ate 6.0 mins (SE 1.8 mins) later than girls (p=0.001). Children consumed 17.2% (SD 11.9%) of TEI before bedtime with no gender differences (p=0.858). Average eating frequency was 2.3 (SD 0.9) EOs, 2.4 in boys vs. 2.2 in girls (p Conclusions: We observed that the timing and EI, but not frequency, of later eating occasions was prospectively associated with obesity in children. Therefore, LER should be considered when developing dietary guidelines in children.

AB - Purpose: Later eating rhythm (LER), termed night eating in adult studies, refers to a later timing, greater energy intake (EI), and higher meal frequency in children in the evening. The role of eating later in obesity development is emerging, but most evidence is cross-sectional, considers just one feature of LER and is rarely studied in children. Therefore, we investigated associations of LER at age 7 with adiposity over 2 years of follow-up. Methods: A total of 4029 children aged 7 years with complete 3-day food diaries from the ongoing UK birth cohort (ALSPAC) were included. Diaries recorded the exact time of, and energy consumed in each eating occasion (EO). An individual EO was separated by the unique time of food intake. Bedtime was parent-reported via questionnaire. “Last mealtime” was the time of the last reported EO; “Eating before bedtime” was the percentage of total energy intake (%TEI) consumed within 2 hours before bedtime; “Eating frequency” was the counts of EOs for 5pm-12am; all variables were averaged over 3 days. Outcomes (body mass index (BMI); overweight/obesity) were assessed at 9 years. Multiple linear and logistic regression was used for estimating the association between LER and each outcome. Interaction analysis was used to assess gender differences. Adjustment was made for age, gender, ethnicity, parental education, maternal age, TV watching and parental late eating. Results: Average last mealtime was 7.10pm (SD 56mins), boys ate 6.0 mins (SE 1.8 mins) later than girls (p=0.001). Children consumed 17.2% (SD 11.9%) of TEI before bedtime with no gender differences (p=0.858). Average eating frequency was 2.3 (SD 0.9) EOs, 2.4 in boys vs. 2.2 in girls (p Conclusions: We observed that the timing and EI, but not frequency, of later eating occasions was prospectively associated with obesity in children. Therefore, LER should be considered when developing dietary guidelines in children.

M3 - Conference Abstract

SP - 485

T2 - International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2022 Annual Meeting

Y2 - 18 May 2022 through 21 May 2022