Sure, diabetics are often well educated enough on what foods they can eat and what to avoid. They have been counseled multiple times repeatedly during doctor visits, nutritionists, and even by their peers and family members. Those who are lucky (albeit they might consider themselves unlucky) constantly have a spouse, a parent, or another family member who keeps them in check by saying “uh-uh no! You’re not allowed to eat that!” It can be frustrating at times, but it is done to benefit the patient most. No one likes to be the bad person saying “no”, but it is a necessity: like the usual saying goes, “it is for your own good”.
What about when to eat? Does it matter too? Recent studies have found that eating irregularly is linked to a higher risk of metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and obesity). With modern day life, where lifestyle is becoming more demanding, more meals are skipped. Meals are no longer eaten around the same time every day. I remember when my mother was working: the whole family helped her with her work and waited for her to finish before we could all have dinner at about 11 at night.
Eating inconsistently may affect our circadian rhythm, a.k.a. our internal biological clock. The nutritional metabolic process in the body follows a circadian rhythm such as appetite, digestion, and the metabolism of certain groups of nutrition. Meals can influence our internal clocks particularly the liver and intestine. This may be a contributing reason why individuals working shifts have an increased risk of diseases including cancer and heart problems.
Worldwide, eating patterns vary according to the region. For example, the French and Mediterranean people view lunch as the most important meal of the day. In the United Kingdom and the United States, energy intake increases gradually throughout the whole day, with the greatest intake during the evening meal. (I must confess I am that way too!)
However, studies have found that there are greater weight loss and improved blood sugar levels in those who are overweight and obese if they consume more calories in the morning rather than in the evening. Although there is a better understanding of what we should be eating, researchers are still trying to confirm which meal should provide us with the most energy. So far, evidence has associated that more calories in the evening are associated with obesity.
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Medical News Today. URL Link. Accessed 2/6/2017.
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