How diet affects your body's internal clock
Uncovering the Impact of Diet on the Human Circadian Timing System
['FUNDING_R01'] · OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY · NIH-11166286
This project tests whether common diets, especially high‑fat eating, change how people's internal body clocks sync with the day‑night cycle.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (PORTLAND, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11166286 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you join this research, you may be asked to track your sleep and light exposure and to record or follow specific meals for short periods. Researchers will measure biological markers of your internal clock (for example, melatonin timing) and watch how quickly your clock shifts when sleep or light schedules change. Some parts of the project use animal experiments to guide the questions, while the human work could include controlled feeding or clinic-based monitoring. The goal is to see if the diet effects seen in mice — especially high‑fat diets slowing clock adjustments — also happen in people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adolescents or adults who can follow diet instructions, complete sleep and light monitoring, and attend clinic visits at the study site.
Not a fit: People with conditions or medications that strongly disrupt circadian rhythms (for example, advanced sleep disorders, certain psychiatric or neurologic conditions, or shift workers unable to follow study schedules) may not benefit from or be eligible for this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If confirmed, this work could lead to dietary guidance that helps improve sleep timing, daily rhythms, and long‑term metabolic and cardiovascular health.
How similar studies have performed: Animal studies have shown high‑fat diets slow entrainment to light, but human evidence is limited, so translating this to people is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
PORTLAND, UNITED STATES
- OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY — PORTLAND, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: MCHILL, ANDREW WILLIAM — OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: MCHILL, ANDREW WILLIAM
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.