In a study of 375 males and 492 females who completed seven-day diet diaries, the proportion of the daily energy ingested in the morning was negatively correlated with total daily energy intake (r = -0.13; p < 0.01), whereas the proportion ingested late in the evening was positively correlated with total daily energy intake (r = 0.14; p < 0.01).

Comment: Folk wisdom holds that, to promote good health, one should begin the day with a large breakfast and consume progressively smaller amounts with each successive meal. The results of the present study support that concept and suggest that such a pattern of eating might help prevent obesity. People who ate a larger proportion of their total daily caloric intake in the morning tended to eat fewer calories per day, whereas people who ate more at night tended to consume more total calories each day. Previous studies have suggested that the satiation of value of food eaten earlier in the day is greater than that of food eaten later on. Some people have observed that an effective method of losing weight is to avoid eating after 8 p.m.

De Castro JM. The time of day of food intake influences overall intake in humans. J Nutr 2004;134:104-111.