Advancing Chrononutrition for Cardiometabolic Health: A 2023 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Workshop Report

Apr 23, 2025Journal of the American Heart Association

Improving the Timing of Eating to Support Heart and Metabolic Health: Summary of a 2023 Workshop

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Abstract

Optimizing the timing of eating may improve cardiometabolic health.

The circadian system regulates biological functions based on time of day, and disruptions can lead to cardiometabolic disorders.
Chrononutrition examines how meal timing affects circadian rhythms and related health outcomes.
Evidence suggests that earlier and shorter eating windows, along with consistent eating patterns, may positively influence cardiometabolic health.
Advancing research in chrononutrition requires standard terminology, practical tools, consideration of individual differences, and understanding of social influences.

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The circadian system maintains optimal biological functions at the appropriate time of day, and the disruption of this organization can contribute to the pathogenesis of cardiometabolic disorders. The timing of eating is a prominent external time cue that influences the circadian system. "Chrononutrition" is an emerging dimension of nutrition and active area of research that examines how timing-related aspects of eating and nutrition impact circadian rhythms, biological processes, and disease pathogenesis. There is evidence to support chrononutrition as a form of chronotherapy, such that optimizing the timing of eating may serve as an actionable strategy to improve cardiometabolic health. This report summarizes key information from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's virtual workshop entitled "Chrononutrition: Elucidating the Role of Circadian Biology and Meal Timing in Cardiometabolic Health," which convened on May 2 to 3, 2023, to review current literature and identify critical knowledge gaps and research opportunities. The speakers presented evidence highlighting the impact on cardiometabolic health of earlier and shorter eating windows and more consistent day-to-day eating patterns. The multidimensionality of chrononutrition was a common theme, as it encompasses multiple facets of eating along with the timing of other behaviors including sleep and physical activity. Advancing the emerging field of chrononutrition will require: (1) standardization of terminology and metrics; (2) scalable and precise tools for real-world settings; (3) consideration of individual differences that may act as effect modifiers; and (4) deeper understanding of social, behavioral, and cultural influences. Ultimately, there is great potential for circadian-based dietary interventions to improve cardiometabolic health.

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Advancing Chrononutrition for Cardiometabolic Health: A 2023 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Workshop Report

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