Researchers followed over 30,000 Chinese adults for several years to understand how eating habits affect cholesterol and fat levels in the blood. They found that people who regularly skipped breakfast and ate late at night had worse changes in their cholesterol and triglycerides (a type of fat in blood) compared to those with better eating habits. The effect was even stronger in women, people who were overweight, and those who didn’t exercise much. This study suggests that when and how often we eat matters for keeping our hearts healthy.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether skipping breakfast and eating late at night changes cholesterol and fat levels in the blood over time
  • Who participated: Over 30,000 adults in China who were healthy at the start and didn’t have heart disease, cancer, or high cholesterol problems
  • Key finding: Adults who both skipped breakfast and ate late at night had cholesterol levels that increased faster each year compared to those with better eating habits. The difference was small but consistent, and it was more noticeable in women, people who were overweight, and inactive people.
  • What it means for you: Eating breakfast and avoiding late-night eating may help keep your cholesterol and blood fats at healthier levels. This is especially important if you’re a woman, overweight, or don’t exercise regularly. However, this study shows a connection, not proof that changing these habits will definitely improve your health.

The Research Details

This was a long-term study that followed the same group of people over time. Researchers started with over 30,000 healthy Chinese adults and asked them about their eating habits using questionnaires. They then measured the participants’ cholesterol and fat levels in their blood three times over four years (in 2014, 2016, and 2018). By comparing how these blood measurements changed over time in people with different eating habits, the researchers could see if breakfast skipping and late-night eating were connected to worse changes in cholesterol and triglycerides.

The researchers were careful to account for other factors that might affect cholesterol, like diet quality, sleep patterns, exercise, and other lifestyle factors. They also looked at whether the effects were different for different groups of people, such as men versus women, or active versus inactive people.

This type of study is valuable because it follows real people over time rather than just taking a snapshot at one moment. This helps researchers understand how habits affect health changes over months and years.

Understanding how eating timing and patterns affect cholesterol is important because high cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. By studying real people over several years, researchers can see which eating habits are connected to unhealthy changes in blood fats. This information helps doctors and health experts give better advice about when and how often people should eat.

This study has several strengths: it included a very large number of people (over 30,000), followed them for several years, and measured their cholesterol multiple times rather than just once. The researchers also adjusted their analysis to account for other factors that might affect cholesterol. However, the study relied on people reporting their own eating habits, which might not always be completely accurate. Also, the study was done in China, so the results might not apply exactly the same way to people in other countries with different diets and lifestyles.

What the Results Show

The main finding was that people who both skipped breakfast and ate late at night had their LDL cholesterol (the ‘bad’ cholesterol) increase by about 0.023 millimoles per liter more each year compared to people who ate breakfast and didn’t eat late. While this number sounds small, over many years it can add up to a meaningful difference.

The researchers also found that these bad eating habits were connected to triglycerides (another type of fat in the blood) increasing faster and HDL cholesterol (the ‘good’ cholesterol) decreasing faster. This combination is especially bad for heart health.

Interestingly, the harmful effects were much stronger in certain groups. Women showed bigger changes in their cholesterol than men. People who were overweight or obese had worse changes than people at a healthy weight. And people who didn’t exercise regularly had more dramatic changes than active people.

The study suggests that the combination of skipping breakfast AND eating late at night was worse than doing just one of these things.

Beyond the main cholesterol findings, the study showed that people with poor eating habits had faster increases in non-HDL cholesterol (another measure of bad cholesterol). The effects were consistent across the three measurement periods, suggesting these patterns were stable over time. The researchers also found that the harmful effects were stronger in people with lower diet quality overall, meaning those who already ate less healthy foods were more affected by skipping breakfast and eating late.

Previous research has shown that breakfast skipping and night eating are connected to heart disease risk, but most studies only measured cholesterol once. This study is important because it tracked how cholesterol actually changed over time in the same people. The findings support earlier research suggesting that eating timing matters for heart health, and they add new evidence that these habits affect how quickly cholesterol levels get worse.

This study has some important limitations to keep in mind. First, people reported their own eating habits, which might not be completely accurate—some people might forget or not remember exactly when they eat. Second, the study only included Chinese adults, so the results might be different for people of other backgrounds with different diets. Third, while the study shows a connection between eating habits and cholesterol changes, it doesn’t prove that changing these habits will definitely improve cholesterol. Fourth, the researchers couldn’t account for every possible factor that might affect cholesterol, so some of the connection they found might be due to other causes they didn’t measure.

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, eating breakfast and avoiding eating late at night appear to help keep cholesterol at healthier levels. This recommendation is particularly important if you’re a woman, overweight, or inactive. However, this is one study, and more research is needed before we can say with complete certainty that changing these habits will improve your cholesterol. If you have concerns about your cholesterol, talk to your doctor about the best approach for you personally.

This research is most relevant for people concerned about heart health, those with family histories of heart disease, women (who showed stronger effects in this study), and people who are overweight or inactive. If you already have heart disease or high cholesterol, this information is especially important for you. However, these findings could apply to most adults interested in maintaining good heart health through better eating habits.

Cholesterol changes happen gradually. In this study, researchers measured changes over 2-4 year periods. You probably wouldn’t notice changes in how you feel, but blood tests would show improvements within a few months to a year of consistently eating breakfast and avoiding late-night eating. The longer you maintain these habits, the more benefit you’re likely to see.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Log your breakfast consumption (yes/no) and any eating after 8 PM daily. Track the time of your last meal each day. This creates a simple pattern you can monitor to see if you’re consistently eating breakfast and finishing meals earlier.
  • Set a daily reminder for breakfast time and a cutoff time for eating (like 7 PM). Start by aiming for breakfast 5 days a week and no eating after your cutoff time 5 days a week, then gradually increase to daily habits. Use the app to celebrate successful days and identify patterns in when you struggle.
  • Track breakfast and eating times daily for at least 8-12 weeks to establish new habits. Every 3 months, note any changes in how you feel (energy levels, digestion) and discuss getting your cholesterol checked with your doctor to see if these habit changes are helping. Use the app’s trend feature to visualize your consistency over time.

This research shows a connection between eating habits and cholesterol changes, but it does not prove that changing these habits will definitely improve your health. Individual results vary based on genetics, overall diet, exercise, and other factors. If you have high cholesterol, heart disease, or other health conditions, consult with your doctor or registered dietitian before making significant changes to your eating patterns. This information is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical advice.