http://www.ohsu.edu/ohsuedu/newspub/releases/020106myth.cfm
Could it be that the cherished claim of late night eating causing weight
gain is just a myth ?
University of Oregon now has evidence that this may be another urban myth.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS STORY AND OTHER OBESITY ISSUES VISIT:
www.ohsu.edu/latenighteating
------------------------------------------------------------------
OHSU Scientists Dispel Late-Night Eating/Weight Gain Myth (February 1, 2006)
PORTLAND, Ore. - Scientists at the Oregon National Primate Research
Center at Oregon Health & Science University believe they have helped
dispel the myth that late-night eating causes weight gain. The research
is published in the current edition of the journal Obesity Research.
"We've all been told at one point in our lives that we should avoid
eating meals late at night as it will lead to weight gain. However, our
research in rhesus monkeys, which are considered an excellent model for
studying primate (man and monkey) obesity issues, showed that eating at
night is no more likely to promote weight gain than eating during the
day. Of course this research does not suggest that snacking at night
after eating your normal daily ration of calories is a good idea, " said
Judy Cameron, Ph.D., a senior scientist in the Divisions of Reproductive
Sciences and Neuroscience at the OHSU Oregon National Primate Research
Center. Cameron also is a professor of psychiatry at the University of
Pittsburgh.
To conduct this research, scientists studied 16 female rhesus monkeys
that were placed on a high-fat diet similar in composition to the diet
normally consumed by humans in the United States and other Western
countries. During the study, all of the monkeys had their ovaries
removed - this simulates a menopause-like state in female monkeys
similar to human female menopause. In lower animals both high fat diet
and decreased ovarian function lead to weight gain. The contribution of
menopause to weight gain in middle-aged women has not been well
established, perhaps because many other life style changes generally
occur during this period of life, such as changes in eating habits and
exercise habits as children grow up and leave home. In this study
monkeys did gain about 5% more weight after their ovaries were removed
providing clear evidence that ovarian hormones contribute to weight
balance in primates, as well as in lower animals. These results were
presented at the 2003 Society for Neuroscience Meeting.
The researchers then observed the monkeys for one year. In addition to
studying their weight gain, researchers noted how much and when the
animals ate, which varied dramatically among the animals observed.
Specifically, the researchers found that the monkeys ate between 6
percent and 64 percent of their total calories at night. This is
comparable to reports in humans who take in approximately 24 percent to
65 percent of total calories at night.
"It was really interesting to see that the monkeys who ate most of
their food at night were no more likely to gain weight than monkeys who
rarely ate at night," said Elinor Sullivan, an OHSU graduate student
conducting research along with Cameron at the Oregon National Primate
Research Center. "This suggests that calories cause weight gain no
matter when you eat them."
The ONPRC is a registered research institution, inspected regularly by
the United States Department of Agriculture. It operates in compliance
with the Animal Welfare Act and has an assurance of regulatory
compliance on file with the National Institutes of Health. The ONPRC
also participates in the voluntary accreditation program overseen by the
Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care
International.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS STORY AND OTHER OBESITY ISSUES VISIT:
www.ohsu.edu/latenighteating
--
1) Eat Till SATISFIED, Not STUFFED... Atkins repeated 9 times in the book
2) Exercise: It's Non-Negotiable..... Chapter 22 title, Atkins book
3) Don't Diet Without Supplimental Nutrients... Chapter 23 title, Atkins
book
4) A sensible eating plan, and follow it. (Atkins, Self Made or Other)