Duration to meal after waking linked to caloric intake in pregnant women

Duration to meal after waking linked to caloric intake in pregnant women | Image Credit: © Gorodenkoff - © Gorodenkoff - stock.adobe.com.

There is a link between taking longer to eat an initial meal after waking up and increased caloric intake later in the day in pregnant women, along with taking longer to sleep after the last meal, according to a recent study published in Sleep Science.¹

Increasing research has been performed about the link between the timing of food intake and metabolic health, with investigators noting that eating and sleep behaviors should not occur at the same time of the day. This makes the time between awakening and the first meal as an important health factor, with increased health risks reported form skipping this meal.²

Effects of maternal food timing

“It is inferred that the timing of maternal food intake has the potential to influence maternal and fetal circadian rhythms, fetal development during pregnancy, and the subsequent metabolic health of the offspring, though this is still not fully understood,” wrote investigators.¹

Data has also indicated a link between sleep quality and weight gain distribution during pregnancy. Therefore, investigators conducted the longitudinal study to determine the impact of sleep-eating intervals on eating and sleeping times and food consumption among pregnant women.

Adult patients at the Integrated Care Units of Uberlândia and the Prenatal Service of the Teaching Hospital of Universidade Federal de Uberlândia who agreed to participate were included in the analysis. Exclusion criteria included prior chronic noncommunicable disease, not providing required information, and using illicit substances.

Data was obtained in all 3 trimesters. Initial sociodemographic data, medical history, physical activity, and gestational data were obtained through a questionnaire following the retrieval of consent. Three 24-hour dietary recalls were completed each trimester to assess food intake and meal timing.

Diet and sleep patterns

Dietary recalls included details about consumed foods and beverages, with common household measures used to determine portion sizes. Anthropometric variables such as pre-pregnancy weight, current weight, and height were also measured.

Participants also reported their habitual sleeping pattern and aske times in a version of the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire. The mean sleep time on free days was used to determine the chronotype. The time between waking and initial eating was calculated to evaluate sleep-eating interactions.

Associations between wake-eating time and sleep behavior

Waking up earlier on work and free days and going to sleep later on free days was reported in pregnant women with a longer waking time to first eating episode vs those with a shorter waking time to first eating episode. A reduced chronotype value was also reported in these individuals.

Six percent, 6%, and 7% of pregnant woman skipped breakfast in the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively. Waking time to first eating episode was negatively correlated with waking time on workdays, with values of β = -0.509, β = -0.503, and β = -0.423 during the first, second, and third trimester, respectively.

For sleep duration on workdays, these values were β = -0.427, β = -0.483, and β = -0.445, respectively, also highlighting a negative association. Finally, a value of β= -0.344 was reported for sleep duration on free days in the first trimester and β= -0.235 for chronotype in the third trimester.

Bedtime and last meal timing correlations

Additional associations included the last eating episode to bedtime interval with sleep duration on workdays, with values of β = -0.391, β = -0.293, and β = -0.288 during the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy, respectively, Additionally, a link with sleep duration was noted in the second trimester.

On workdays, positive associations were reported between the last eating episode to bedtime interval and bedtime, at β = 0.394 in the first trimester, β = 0.542 in the second, and β = 0.551in the third. Similar associations were reported on free days.

The waking time to first eating episode interval was also linked to the percentage of calories eaten at dinner in the first and second trimesters, with values of β = 0.266 and β = 0.269, respectively. Links for the percentage of calories in the first meal were reported in the first and third trimesters, at β = 0.404 and β = 0.432, respectively.

Conclusion

Finally, a positive association was reported between the timing of the first meal in the first trimester and the last eating episode to bedtime interval. This showed significant associations in early and mid-pregnancy between delaying the first meal after waking up with both higher calorie intake and shorter sleep duration.

“Additional studies are needed for a more comprehensive understanding of this subject,” wrote investigators.

References

1. Pereira CS, Balieiro LCT, Teixeira GP, et al. Association between eating-fasting and sleep-wake cycles with eating times and food consumption throughout the day: Longitudinal study with pregnant women. Sleep Sci. 2024;18(1):e44-e55. doi:10.1055/s-0044-1787276
2. Ma X, Chen Q, Pu Y. Skipping breakfast is associated with overweight and obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Obes Res Clin Pract. 2020;14(1):1-8. doi:10.1016/j.orcp.2019.12.002