New heart study alert: Why you must eat breakfast by 8 am, dinner by 8 pm

Eating dinner after 9 pm was associated with a 28 per cent increase in the risk of cerebrovascular disease such as stroke, compared with eating before 8 pm, say researchers

A new study has actually quantified the percentage by which the timing of breakfast and meals affects our cardiovascular health. (Representational image via Canva)

We all know that a time-restricted eating allows a longer time for the body to heal and rest and, therefore, repair all organs, including the heart. Now a new study has actually quantified the percentage by which the timing of breakfast and meals affects our cardiovascular health. This study seems convincing as it was carried out on a sample of over 100,000 people, who were followed between 2009 and 2022.

What does the study say?

Researchers found that eating a late first or last meal is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. It also appears that a longer night-time fasting duration is associated with a reduced risk of cerebrovascular disease such as stroke. Delaying the first meal of the day was associated with a six per cent increase in risk of cardiovascular disease per hour delay. Eating dinner after 9 pm was associated with a 28 per cent increase in the risk of cerebrovascular disease such as stroke, compared with eating before 8 pm, especially among women. The study was led by scientists from INRAE, France’s National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Inserm and the Université Sorbonne, Paris Nord.

Calling this an important study, Dr Vijay Natarajan, cardiac surgeon and Director of Surgical Services at Bharati Hospital, Pune, says, “A 13-hour gap between dinner and breakfast the next day is suggested, which also helps in reducing the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. Some communities believe in having their last meal by sunset between 5 and 6 pm for a longer body recovery time.”

How fasting helps the heart?

Restricting eating and drinking to a certain time means the body doesn’t need to produce hormones on an overdrive. “This affects hormonal balance, disturbances of which can cause metabolic syndrome that manifests itself through obesity, high blood pressure, high blood triglycerides, low levels of HDL cholesterol and insulin resistance. All of these raise the risk of heart attack considerably,” he says. The ingested food gets broken down into their simplest forms like glucose (sugars), amino acids (that make up protein) or fatty acids (that make up fats) for absorption by the body. Glucose is the worst inflammatory agent and late meals mean high levels of it circulate as the body digests slower at night. Sugar erodes the endothelial or the inner lining of the arteries and veins in the heart. “An injured endothelium causes plaques and fat deposition, raising the risk of a heart attack,” says Dr Natarajan.

Why chrono nutrition or meal timing is important

The easiest way to follow the circadian clock is to have breakfast a little before 8 am and dinner before 8 pm, he recommends. A 13-hour gap between dinner and breakfast repairs the body and ensures you do not skip breakfast too. Also sleep patterns matter. That’s because the body secretes lower levels of fat-burning hormones like adiponectin at night. Staying up means stimulating your hunger hormone ghrelin that makes you reach out to high calorie food. This increases the risk of prediabetes, diabetes, hypertension, obesity and ultimately cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and stroke.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More