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Eating jetlag is associated with adiposity in preschool children only when social jetlag is high, with direction varying by indicator

In a cross-sectional study of 639 Finnish preschoolers (3-6 years), eating jetlag indicators were not associated with BMI z-score or waist-to-height ratio in the full sample. However, among children with high social jetlag (median 62 min), greater eating midpoint jetlag was associated with lower BMI z-score (β: -0.65, 95% CI: -1.21 to -0.10), while greater morning latency jetlag was associated with higher BMI z-score (β: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.19 to 1.46) and higher waist-to-height ratio (β: 0.035, 95% CI: 0.013 to 0.058).

Last updated: Jul 9, 2026•0 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score34/100
Human RCT☆☆☆☆☆
Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Associations between eating jetlag and adiposity in preschool children, and the moderating roles of social jetlag and chronotype.

observational

Maukonen M, Ruokolahti AM, Björkqvist J, Launistola H, Rahkola J, Tillman I, Vepsäläinen H, Ray C, Roos E, Erkkola M, Lehto R · European journal of nutrition (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: cross-sectional (2015-2016)
Intervention: Eating jetlag (variation in eating times between weekdays and weekends) measured via six indicators from 3-day food records
Outcome: Adiposity measured by BMI z-score and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR)
Effect Size: BMI z-score: β=-0.65 (95% CI -1.21 to -0.10) for eating midpoint jetlag; β=0.83 (95% CI 0.19 to 1.46) for morning latency jetlag; WHtR: β=0.035 (95% CI 0.013 to 0.058) for morning latency jetlag
Population: Finnish preschool children aged 3-6 years (48% girls, n=639) from the cross-sectional DAGIS study (2015-2016)

Result:

PubMed: 42371120DOI: 10.1007/s00394-026-04015-6

Mechanism Graph

Weekend-weekday differences in eating timing (eating jetlag) are assessed
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Social jetlag (sleep timing variability) moderates the relationship
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High social jetlag amplifies the effect of specific eating jetlag indicators on adiposity
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Direction of association depends on the specific eating jetlag indicator (midpoint vs. morning latency)

Limitations

  • ⚠Cross-sectional design prevents causal inference
  • ⚠Findings require confirmation in longitudinal studies
  • ⚠Potential residual confounding from unmeasured variables (e.g., physical activity, diet quality)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is eating jetlag?▼

Eating jetlag refers to the variation in eating times between weekdays and weekends, measured in this study by differences in first/last eating occasion, eating midpoint, and morning/evening latency.

Does eating jetlag directly cause obesity in preschoolers?▼

No direct association was found in the full sample. However, among children with high social jetlag, certain eating jetlag indicators were associated with either higher or lower adiposity, suggesting a moderating role of sleep timing variability.

What is social jetlag?▼

Social jetlag is the variation in sleep timing between weekdays and weekends, reflecting a mismatch between biological and social clocks. In this study, high social jetlag was defined as a median of 62 minutes (IQR 17).

How was adiposity measured in this study?▼

Adiposity was assessed using BMI z-score (adjusted for age and sex) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), both objective anthropometric measures.

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References

  1. 1.Maukonen M, Ruokolahti AM, Björkqvist J, Launistola H, Rahkola J, Tillman I, Vepsäläinen H, Ray C, Roos E, Erkkola M, Lehto R. "Associations between eating jetlag and adiposity in preschool children, and the moderating roles of social jetlag and chronotype.." European journal of nutrition, 2026. PMID: 42371120 DOI: 10.1007/s00394-026-04015-6
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Evidence scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical recommendations. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or intervention.