Does Dinner Make You Fat? Here Are the Facts and Myths

Allowing dinner to make you fat? (Freepik)

THE question of whether eating dinner can cause weight gain is often debated.

Many believe that eating at night can make the body store fat more easily, leading to weight gain.

But is that true? This article will discuss whether dinner really makes you fat based on the latest scientific evidence.

1. Daily Calories Are More Important than Meal Times

Research shows that total calorie intake consumed in a day has a greater influence on weight gain than meal times.

A study published in Obesity Reviews (2013) revealed that excessive calorie consumptionregardless of when it is consumed, is the main cause of weight gain, not eating at night itself.

Also read: 5 Ways to Keep Your Weight Stable During Eid al-Fitr

Conclusion: As long as you keep your calorie intake within the recommended daily limits, eating dinner does not automatically lead to weight gain.

2. The Role of Body Metabolism at Night

There is a myth that metabolism slows down at night, making the food consumed more easily converted into fat. However, a study in the journal Proceedings of the Nutrition Society (2016) stated that The body’s metabolism continues to work, even when we sleep..

Indeed, physical activity at night is less, but the body still uses energy for the recovery process, organ function, and maintaining body temperature.

Also read: These are Tips for Controlling Your Eating Patterns to Lose Weight

Conclusion: Your metabolism doesn’t stop working at night. Eating dinner doesn’t necessarily slow down your metabolism and cause you to gain more fat than at other times.

3. Quality and Composition of Evening Food

It’s not meal time, but types and quantities of food consumed at night that can affect weight. People who eat dinner often choose high-calorie, high-fat, or high-sugar foods such as snacks, fast food, and desserts. According to research published in Appetite (2020), people tend to eat more unhealthy foods at night, which can contribute to weight gain.

Conclusion: If you choose nutritious and balanced foods, such as vegetables, lean protein, and complex carbohydrates, dinner will not cause significant weight gain.

Read also: Weight Gain After Eid? Lose Weight With This Exercise

4. The Relationship between Sleep Patterns and Dinner

The habit of eating dinner late at night or close to bedtime can disrupt sleep quality, and lack of sleep can trigger weight gain. A study from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2019) shows that Lack of sleep can increase the hormone ghrelin which stimulates hunger, thus increasing calorie intake the next day. So, while it is not the dinner itself that causes weight gain, disturbed sleep can be a triggering factor.

Conclusion: Eating too late at night may affect sleep quality, which in turn has the potential to trigger increased appetite and weight gain.

5. The Importance of Controlling Portion Size

Many people ignore their portion sizes at night, especially after a day of activities. This can lead to excess calories that are difficult to burn. According to Journal of Nutrition (2018), eating large portions at night can contribute to a calorie surplus that leads to weight gain.

Conclusion: Controlling portion sizes at night is key to preventing dinner from causing weight gain.

Based on current scientific evidence, dinner does not directly cause weight gain.

The more important thing is total calories consumed in a daytypes of food consumed, as well as sleep patterns and activity habits.

If you eat the right portions and choose nutritious foods, dinner will not make you fat.

However, if you are used to eating large dinners with high-calorie foods, or eating close to bedtime, this can contribute to weight gain.

So, pay attention to your diet, food quality, and sleep hours to maintain a healthy body balance.

Reference:

• Obesity Reviews, 2013. “Chronobiology, time-restricted eating, and metabolism.”

• Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 2016. “Circadian rhythms and their impact on eating behaviors.”

• Appetite, 2020. “Late-night eating and its effects on obesity.”

• The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2019. “Sleep, diet, and weight gain: what’s the connection?”

• Journal of Nutrition, 2018. “Energy intake distribution across the day and its impact on weight.”