Categories
Wellness

Eating early is best

A recent study (1) found that people who start eating before 8:30 a.m. had lower blood sugar levels and less (which is better) insulin resistance, which could reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Both higher insulin resistance and high blood sugar levels affect a person’s metabolism, the breaking down of food to its simpler components: proteins, carbohydrates (or sugars), and fats. Metabolic disorders such as diabetes occur when these normal processes become disrupted. (2)

The average time that the Japanese have breakfast is 7.10 a.m, with probably near 90% of people starting breakfast before 8.30 a.m.

Japanese Breakfast Start Times on Weekdays (2011 survey)

Time (a.m.)%
Before 65.6
6 to 730.6
7 to 842.7
8 to 915.2
After 95.8

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (3)

One explanation for the health benefits of early eating is the body’s circadian clock, and how regular patterns help the body’s efficient functioning. The circadian clock regulates sleep/wake cycles, hormonal activity, body temperature rhythm and eating/digesting.

Japan’s SW to NE archipelago has one time zone, and population densities tend towards the eastern edge of the time zone. Tokyo’s sunrise, for example, oscillates between 4:30 a.m. at the height of summer and 6:50 a.m. in the depths of winter.

This all seems consistent with the Japanese being able to wake with the sun all year around and start breakfast before 8.30 a.m. – a healthy lifestyle.

There appears to no benefit to shorter eating durations (time-restricted eating): Shorter eating durations were associated with worse metabolic outcomes, except when paired with an earlier start time. All subgroups with an early eating start time had better metabolic outcomes regardless of eating duration. (1)

References:

  1. Eating Timing: Associations with Dietary Intake and Metabolic Health, by Amy Taetzsch, Susan B Roberts, Asma Bukhari, Alice H Lichtenstein, Cheryl H Gilhooly, Edward Martin, Amy J Krauss, Adrienne Hatch-McChesney, and Sai Krupa Das, 2021
  2. Endocrine Society press release, 17 March 2021: https://www.endocrine.org/news-and-advocacy/news-room/featured-science-from-endo-2021/eating-before-830-am-could-reduce-risk-factors-for-type-2-diabetes
  3. Hatena Blog: What time do Japanese people have breakfast?  https://nbakki.hatenablog.com/entry/What_Time_Japanese_Have_Breakfast%3F

Related posts:

  1. Clinical Study Support for the Health Benefits of Fermented Foods Fermented foods are plentiful in the Japanese diet. Researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine have found that a 10-week diet high in fermented foods boosts microbiome diversity, lowers inflammation, and improves immune responses. (1) Justin Sonnenburg, one of the authors, said: This is a stunning finding, it provides one...
  2. Diet, Gut Microbes, and Health The Olympics is a time to marvel at human health and performance. A large-scale cross-border study (1) has identified a panel of 15 gut microbes associated with lower risks, and 15 with higher risks, for common illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease, After undertaking microbiome testing, an individual would...
  3. Wellness Trends: from 2020 to 2021 From the Global Wellness Summit...
  4. J-Wellness & Workations Deregulation and the ensuing market opportunities leads us to expect “Workation” as a concept to evolve rapidly into an implemented reality...

By Peter Eadon-Clarke

Advisor, Conceptasia Inc.
Peter Eadon-Clarke is a specialist in J-Wellness, product and technique trends, wellness tourism and the Stress Check Program. Peter has extensive experience managing complex multicultural teams; roles held during 14 years at Macquarie Capital Securities (Japan) limited included branch manager, global head of economics and Tokyo head of research. Previously, positions included UBS Trust and Banking in Tokyo as chief investment officer, CIO at Sumitomo Life Investment and CIO for the Pacific Basin at GT (now Invesco).