In November 2018 researchers from Spain published the results of their study to assess whether the timing of meals is associated with breast and prostate cancer risk taking into account lifestyle and a preference for morning or evening activity. A total of 621 individuals with prostate cancer and 1,205 were breast cancer were involved in the study, together with 872 male and 1,321 female individuals who had never worked a night shift acting as a control group. Each individual was interviewed on the timing of meals, sleep and their preference for morning or evening activity and in addition completed a food frequency questionnaire. Results showed that those sleeping two or more hours after supper had a 20% reduction in breast and prostate cancer risk when compared to those going to sleep immediately after supper. A similar protection was observed in individuals who had supper before 9 pm compared to having supper after 10 pm. A further analysis revealed that the beneficial effect of a longer supper-sleep interval was more pronounced amongst individuals who had expressed a preference for morning activities.
Kogevinas M et al. Effect of mistimed eating patterns on breast and prostate cancer risk (MCC-Spain Study). Int J Cancer. 2018 Nov 15;143(10):2380-2389