Later eating timing is associated with lower diet quality in preschool children, with chronotype as an effect modifier
In 656 Finnish preschool children, longer morning latency, later eating midpoint, and later last eating occasion were associated with lower diet quality scores. Chronotype-stratified analyses showed that longer evening latency was inversely associated with diet quality only in early chronotypes, while later eating midpoint and last eating occasion were inversely associated in intermediate and late chronotypes, but not early.
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Later eating timing is associated with lower diet quality in preschool children, with chronotype as an effect modifier The current body of evidence comprises 1 study. EvidenceHub rates the overall confidence at 34/100 (low).
The Claim
Later eating timing is associated with lower diet quality in preschool children, with chronotype as an effect modifier
This conclusion is most relevant to: 656 Finnish children aged 3-6 years from the DAGIS Survey 2015-2016.
What the Research Shows
The conclusion draws on 1 linked study. Highlights from the cited literature:
- ▸Chrononutrition and Diet Quality in Preschool Children: An Association Shaped by Chronotype. (The Journal of nutrition, 2026) —
How It Works
The proposed biological pathway:
- ▸Later eating timing may disrupt circadian alignment of metabolic processes
- ▸Chronotype influences individual susceptibility to timing effects
- ▸Early chronotypes may be more sensitive to evening eating, while intermediate/late chronotypes are more sensitive to overall later timing
- ▸Result: Lower diet quality scores associated with later eating patterns
Who Might Benefit
Evidence fit by population:
- ▸656 Finnish children aged 3-6 years from the DAGIS Survey 2015-2016
Recommended Dose
N/A
Limitations & Caveats
Important context when interpreting this evidence:
- ▸Cross-sectional design prevents causal inference
- ▸Diet quality assessed via food frequency questionnaire, which may be subject to recall bias
- ▸Chronotype categorization based on actigraphy-derived midpoint of sleep may not capture full circadian phenotype
- ▸Potential residual confounding from unmeasured factors (e.g., family routines, screen time)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is chrononutrition?▼
Chrononutrition refers to the timing, frequency, and regularity of food intake relative to circadian rhythms, and how these patterns affect health outcomes.
How was chronotype measured in this study?▼
Chronotype was estimated as the midpoint of sleep corrected for sleep debt, using 7-day actigraphy data. Children were categorized into early (earliest 10%), intermediate (middle 80%), and late (latest 10%) chronotypes.
Which chrononutrition variables were associated with lower diet quality?▼
Longer morning latency (time between waking and first eating), later eating midpoint, and later last eating occasion were associated with lower diet quality in the whole sample. Evening latency was associated only in early chronotypes.
Did the association differ by chronotype?▼
Yes. Longer evening latency was inversely associated with diet quality only in early chronotypes. Later eating midpoint and last eating occasion were inversely associated in intermediate and late chronotypes, but not in early chronotypes.
References
- 1.Tillman I, Lehto R, Maukonen M, Rahkola J, Ray C, Roos E, Ruokolahti AM, Schultz J, Serasinghe N, Vepsäläinen H, Erkkola M. “Chrononutrition and Diet Quality in Preschool Children: An Association Shaped by Chronotype..” The Journal of nutrition, 2026. PMID: 42580593 DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2026.101780