A study drawing on data from nearly 200,000 people in the United States has linked eating late at night to a higher relative risk of fatty liver disease and cirrhosis, IDN Times reports.
The research was led by scientists at Oregon Health & Science University and analyzed records from three long-running US studies. It compared participants' reports of when they ate with reports of liver disease diagnoses.
According to IDN Times, late-night eating was associated with a relative risk roughly 20 to 30 percent higher for two conditions: metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), which is fat accumulation in the liver tied to metabolic problems, and cirrhosis, scarring of the liver caused by long-term damage.
The paper, whose lead author is Robert M. Wilechansky, was published online on October 10, 2026, in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Why it matters
Liver disease linked to metabolic dysfunction has become a growing concern, and researchers are trying to work out whether the timing of meals — not just what people eat — plays a role.
The findings point to an association, not proof of cause. Because the study is observational, it can show that two things occur together but cannot establish that late-night eating itself damages the liver. IDN Times notes that other factors, such as overall diet, metabolic conditions, or work and sleep schedules, could influence the results.
The 20 to 30 percent figure describes a relative comparison between groups. It does not mean that 20 to 30 percent of people who eat late will develop liver disease.
What counted as late-night eating
In this study, late-night eating was defined broadly. It covered eating after dinner as well as eating after bedtime, so the exposure was not limited to a snack just before sleep.
The data came from three long-term US studies and covered close to 200,000 participants. Both eating habits and liver disease diagnoses were self-reported by participants, a design that can introduce error.
The sample was also drawn from US health professionals, meaning the results may not represent the wider population.
Mixed evidence on meal timing
Other research has pointed in a similar direction. IDN Times reports that a 2025 cohort study in China involving 32,000 people associated late-night snacking with MASLD.
At the same time, a systematic review published in 2026 concluded that evidence on meal timing and liver health remains limited and inconsistent.
The body's biological clock does help regulate metabolism, including in the liver, which is one reason eating when the body is preparing for sleep has drawn interest. The new study did not directly test that mechanism, and it did not identify any specific hour as a safe cutoff for eating.
What to watch
The authors' findings add to a body of work on when people eat, but they leave the central question open. Further research — including studies that follow changes in eating habits and liver condition over time — is still needed to determine whether shifting meal times can actually improve liver health.
