That late-night snack might have consequences beyond extra calories.
Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have found that eating late in the evening is associated with a significantly higher risk of liver disease, suggesting that when you eat could be an important factor in protecting your liver.
The study found that people who regularly ate after dinner or after bedtime had a 20 to 30% higher risk of liver disease compared with those who avoided eating late.
The conditions included metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, commonly known as fatty liver disease, and cirrhosis, a serious condition involving extensive scarring of the liver.
Previous studies have connected late-night eating with obesity and cardiovascular problems. However, researchers wanted to determine whether the habit might also be associated with liver disease.
About the study
To investigate the connection, researchers examined information from three major nationwide studies: the Nurses' Health Study, the Nurses' Health Study II, and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.
Together, these datasets included nearly 200,000 participants who had provided information about their eating habits, daily routines and other lifestyle factors.
The researchers divided participants into groups according to when they typically ate, then compared those patterns with reports of fatty liver disease and cirrhosis.
The results revealed a consistent association.
Over the follow-up period, 315 participants developed cirrhosis and 4,492 developed MASLD.
Compared to participants who avoided eating late, late-night eaters had a 28 per cent increased risk of developing cirrhosis and a 36 per cent greater risk of developing MASLD.
To arrive at these findings, the researchers accounted for many factors that could influence liver disease risk, including age, body mass index, calorie intake, overall diet quality, smoking, physical activity, alcohol intake, abnormal blood lipid levels and diabetes.
The association between late-night eating and liver disease persisted even after researchers controlled for night-shift work, which can affect both night-time eating patterns and cardiometabolic health.
Why your liver's internal clock matters
One possible explanation involves the body's circadian rhythms, the internal biological processes that help regulate sleep, metabolism and other functions throughout the 24-hour daily cycle.
The liver is particularly sensitive to these rhythms. It helps process nutrients, regulate blood sugar, and manage how the body stores and uses energy.
Eating at times when the body is biologically preparing for sleep may interfere with some of these processes.
Study limitations
Although the findings raise concerns about late-night eating, the researchers emphasize that the study cannot establish cause and effect.
The analysis was observational, meaning it identified relationships between eating habits and health outcomes without directly testing whether changing mealtimes prevents liver disease.
It also relied on participants' self-reported information, including relatively broad descriptions of when they ate.
More carefully controlled research is needed to determine whether eating earlier actually improves liver health.
For now, the research offers an intriguing possibility: Improving liver health may not always require changing what is on your plate. Simply giving your body more time between its last meal and bedtime could potentially make a difference.
Source: Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, October 10, 2026.
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