Time of day impacts diet results

September 7, 2009 (CHICAGO) A group of scientists at Northwestern University says those late night raids on the refrigerator may have worse consequences than indigestion.

Researchers fed mice identical amounts of food and gave them equal exercise during the night and day.

Results showed eating during sleeping hours caused a nearly 8 percent weight gain.

Scientists say simply changing the timing of eating meals and snacks could mean eating more in the daytime, and cutting back on the late night ice cream.

The study appears in the International Journal of Obesity.