If you tend to reach for a snack late at night, you’re not alone—but experts say this habit could be quietly working against your weight loss goals. According to research, when you eat may be just as important as what you eat.
Dr. Sarah Berry, Professor of Nutritional Sciences at King’s College London and Chief Scientist at ZOE, recently shared insights on the The Diary Of A CEO podcast, revealing how late-night eating can impact your metabolism, inflammation levels, and fat storage.
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Late-Night Snacking Is Linked To Belly Fat
Even if your overall diet is relatively healthy, eating late at night could still lead to unwanted weight gain—especially around your midsection.
“What we found was interestingly 30% of people snacking often at night. We found that if you snack late at night, that was associated with unfavorable health outcomes: worse kind of fat around your belly, higher levels of inflammation, worse levels of blood lipid, cholesterol,” Dr. Berry explained.
In other words, late-night eating doesn’t just impact your weight—it can also affect your overall metabolic health.
You might think choosing healthier snacks at night cancels out the impact—but research suggests otherwise.
Dr. Berry noted that these negative effects were seen “even if you were snacking on healthy snacks,” highlighting that timing plays a critical role beyond food quality alone.
This means that even nutrient-dense options can be processed differently by your body depending on when you eat them.
Eating After 9 PM May Work Against You
The reason behind this comes down to your internal body clock. Your body operates on a natural rhythm that influences how it processes food throughout the day.
“There’s this whole new area in nutrition called chrononutrition; every cell in our body has its little body clock… and that clock is shaped by when we eat,” she explained.
When you eat out of sync with these rhythms—like late at night—your body may not metabolize food as efficiently.
“If we’re eating out of sync with those clocks, we process the fuel differently. It may have a different impact on our health,” she added.
Based on current research, timing your meals earlier in the evening may be one of the simplest ways to support your health and weight goals.
Dr. Berry emphasized that “eating after 9:00 PM isn’t great for your health,” reinforcing the idea that late-night eating can disrupt your metabolism and contribute to fat storage.
The Bottom Line
If you’re trying to lose weight—especially stubborn belly fat—cutting back on late-night snacking could make a bigger difference than you think. Aligning your meals with your body’s natural rhythms may help reduce inflammation, improve metabolism, and support long-term health.
