We all know eating late is bad for us. A new study says it could make us sick. Researchers say that eating before bedtime increases the risk of obesity. The researchers are linked to Harvard Medical School in the USA. They looked into why eating late increased the risk of putting on weight. They found that eating late doubles our feeling of hunger, so we eat more. When we eat earlier, we are less hungry, so we eat less food. Later eaters also eat unhealthier food, especially fast food. They also move around less before sleeping. This means they do not burn off calories.

The study was a small one. Researchers looked at the eating habits of 16 people between the ages of 25 and 59. They all had a high body mass index (BMI). They were all overweight or obese. However, they were in good health. They ate breakfast regularly and exercised a little. Before each test, they did not drink coffee or alcohol, and they did not smoke or take medicine or drugs. They kept a sleep diary so researchers knew their sleeping times. A researcher said: "I think what the study is telling us is that it probably really is beneficial to stop eating late into the night."