Journal Article

Association of chrono-nutrition components with cardiometabolic health in a sample of Iranian adults: a cross-sectional study

Zeraattalab-Motlagh, Sheida, Akbarzade, Zahra, Lesani, Azadeh, Shab-Bidar, Sakineh, Djafarian, Kurosh, Majdi, Maryam

2025

Overview

Chrono-nutrition is an emerging field that examines how the frequency and timing of meals impact health. Previous research shows inconsistency in the relationship between chrono-nutritional components and cardiometabolic health. We investigated cross-sectional associations between these components and cardiometabolic health in 825 Iranian adults aged 20–59 years. Dietary data, including the number of eating occasions, meal timing and meal irregularity of energy intake, were collected using three 24-h dietary recalls. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure and laboratory tests (fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile, insulin, uric acid and C-reactive protein) were conducted. Insulin resistance and sensitivity (homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, homeostatic model assessment for insulin sensitivity), the TAG-glucose, the lipid accommodation product and BMI were calculated. The demographic and morning-evening questionnaire was completed. General linear regression was used to assess associations between chrono-nutritional components and outcomes. Interactions with age and BMI were examined in all associations. Chrono-nutrition components were not significantly related to cardiometabolic risk factors in the total population. However, a lower number of eating occasions was associated with an increased LDL-cholesterol:HDL-cholesterol ratio (β (95 % CI): 0·26 (0·06, 0·48)) among overweight and obese participants. Additionally, less irregularity in breakfast energy intake was associated with a lower total cholesterol:HDL-cholesterol ratio (–0·37 (–0·95, –0·18)) and a lower LDL-cholesterol:HDL-cholesterol ratio (–0·32 (–0·79, –0·13)) among participants with a normal BMI (all P< 0·05). The study concluded that more frequent meals and regular energy intake might enhance cardiometabolic health cross-sectionally, highlighting the need for prospective studies to further investigate these associations and the mediating role of BMI.

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Subject: Acid resistance / Adult / Adults / Age Factors / Anthropometry / Blood Glucose - metabolism / Blood pressure / Body Mass Index / C-reactive protein / Cardiometabolic Risk Factors / Cholesterol / Chronic illnesses / Chronobiology Phenomena - physiology / Circadian rhythm / Cross-Sectional Studies / Diet - methods / Diet - statistics & numerical data / Dietary intake / Dietary Surveys and Nutritional Epidemiology / Eating / Energy intake / Energy Intake - physiology / Feeding Behavior - physiology / Female / Glucose / Health risks / High density lipoprotein / Humans / Insulin / Insulin resistance / Insulin Resistance - physiology / Iran - epidemiology / Irregularities / Laboratory tests / Linear Models / Lipids / Low density lipoprotein / Male / Meals / Meals - physiology / Middle Aged / Nutrition / Nutrition Assessment / Obesity - epidemiology / Obesity - etiology / Overweight - epidemiology / Overweight - etiology / Risk factors / Sensitivity analysis / Surveys and Questionnaires / Time Factors / Uric acid / Young Adult