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Nighttime fasting intervals are not significantly associated with depressive symptoms during the perinatal period in women with overweight or obesity

In a secondary analysis of 232 pregnant individuals with pre-pregnancy BMI ≥25 kg/m², nighttime fasting intervals (NFIs) remained stable across early pregnancy, mid-pregnancy, and 6 months postpartum (mean 12.7 hours). NFIs were not significantly associated with depressive symptoms overall, but at mid-pregnancy, long NFIs showed a geometric mean ratio of 0.84 (95% CI: 0.64-1.11) relative to middle NFIs, suggesting a potential but non-significant trend. After adjusting for sleep quality, longer NFIs were significantly associated with lower depressive symptoms in mid-pregnancy.

Last updated: Aug 26, 2026•0 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score38/100
Human RCT☆☆☆☆☆
Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. The association between nighttime fasting intervals and depression from early pregnancy to postpartum.

observational

Yoshimasu T, Personette CM, Kim N, Clifton R, Phan D, Behal M, Jouppi RJ, Goldschmidt AB, Call CC, Brown LB, Kinkel-Ram S, Kolko Conlon RP, Levine MD, Hawkins M · medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: From early pregnancy to 6 months postpartum
Intervention: N/A
Outcome: Depressive symptoms measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)
Effect Size: Geometric mean ratio 0.84 (95% CI: 0.64-1.11) for long vs. middle NFIs at mid-pregnancy (not significant)
Population: 232 individuals with pre-pregnancy BMI ≥25 kg/m² assessed during early pregnancy, mid-pregnancy, and 6 months postpartum

Result:

PubMed: 42620128DOI: 10.64898/2026.07.24.26358661

Mechanism Graph

Nighttime fasting intervals reflect the duration of overnight fasting, which may influence circadian rhythms and metabolic processes.
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Disrupted circadian rhythms and metabolic dysregulation are linked to depressive symptoms in non-pregnant populations.
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During pregnancy, hormonal and physiological changes may alter the relationship between fasting intervals and mood.
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Sleep quality may confound or modify the association, as adjusting for it revealed a significant effect in mid-pregnancy.

Limitations

  • ⚠Observational secondary analysis, so causality cannot be established.
  • ⚠NFIs estimated from 24-hour dietary recalls, which may be subject to recall bias and may not capture habitual patterns.
  • ⚠Sample limited to individuals with overweight or obesity, limiting generalizability to the broader perinatal population.
  • ⚠Depressive symptoms self-reported, not clinically diagnosed.
  • ⚠No objective measures of sleep or circadian phase (e.g., dim-light melatonin onset).

Frequently Asked Questions

What are nighttime fasting intervals (NFIs)?▼

NFIs are the longest period between the last eating episode of the day and the first eating episode of the next day, typically representing the overnight fasting duration.

Were nighttime fasting intervals associated with depression in this study?▼

Overall, no significant association was found between NFIs and depressive symptoms across the perinatal period. However, at mid-pregnancy, longer NFIs were associated with lower depressive symptoms after adjusting for sleep quality, but this was not significant in the main analysis.

What population was studied?▼

The study included 232 pregnant individuals with pre-pregnancy BMI ≥25 kg/m² (overweight or obesity), assessed during early pregnancy, mid-pregnancy, and at 6 months postpartum.

Why might sleep quality matter in the relationship between fasting and depression?▼

Sleep quality is a known correlate of both eating patterns and depression. Adjusting for sleep quality in mid-pregnancy revealed a significant association between longer NFIs and lower depressive symptoms, suggesting that sleep quality may confound or modify the relationship.

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References

  1. 1.Yoshimasu T, Personette CM, Kim N, Clifton R, Phan D, Behal M, Jouppi RJ, Goldschmidt AB, Call CC, Brown LB, Kinkel-Ram S, Kolko Conlon RP, Levine MD, Hawkins M. "The association between nighttime fasting intervals and depression from early pregnancy to postpartum.." medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences, 2026. PMID: 42620128 DOI: 10.64898/2026.07.24.26358661
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.