Nibbling in the middle of the night is taking more weight than eat snacks during the day, say researchers at Northwestern University in Illinois, whose study is published in the latest edition of the journal Obesity.

According to these researchers, eat at times that are inconsistent with the natural rhythms of the body, like the night when sleep is expected, could disrupt metabolism and cause weight gain.

Laboratory rats fed with fat in their usual hours of sleep took up to 48% more weight than rats fed the same during their normal waking hours.

Change the hours of food intake without affecting the overall amount of calorie intake or exercise practiced, can be very important in the fight against obesity, which affects 300 million people worldwide, scientists suggest .

“This is the first study to prove that eating a” bad “time can contribute to weight gain,” the researchers say.

The temperature of the body, resting energy expenditure, hormones and sleep quality are all factors that affect metabolism, the researchers said.

Experts recommend strongly to avoid nighttime snacking, and eat enough during the day.