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Eating at odd hours raises risk of obesity, diabetes: Study
Scientists have uncovered a remarkable connection between irregular eating times and health problems like obesity and diabetes. A new study published in Science by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine has identified a previously unknown pathway through which the liver communicates with the brain to regulate eating patterns.
The research reveals that the liver houses its own biological timekeeper that communicates with the brain via the vagus nerve, helping to control hunger signals and eating behavior. When this timing system is thrown off balance, it can initiate a series of metabolic changes that may lead to weight gain and other health issues.
The discovery emerged from mouse studies focusing on REV-ERB genes in liver cells. These genes are essential components of the circadian rhythm – the body’s internal clock that coordinates various biological processes including sleep and hormone production over a 24-hour cycle.
Dr. Mitchell Lazar, who leads Penn Medicine’s Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism and directed the study, explained: “Both mice and humans normally eat at times when they are awake and alert, and this circuit provides feedback from the liver to the central clock in the brain that keeps the system running smoothly. This feedback is through a nerve connection from the liver to the brain.”
In their experiments, the team found that disabling these liver clock genes caused dramatic changes in the mice’s eating habits. The animals began eating more during their usual rest periods – behavior that parallels the disrupted eating patterns of humans working night shifts or dealing with jet lag
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