Meal timing to lower disease risk for shift workers
Optimization of Chrononutrition to Reduce the Risk of Disease in Shift Workers
This project tests whether changing when shift workers eat can lower their chances of obesity and other metabolic diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Salk Institute for Biological Studies NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11141567 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you work nights or rotating shifts and eat at irregular times, this project would try to help you shift your meal timing to better match your body's clock. The team will deliver practical, remote nutrition education and tools that fit variable schedules so people can follow the plan without frequent in-person visits. They will track health measures such as weight, blood sugar, and other metabolic markers to see if the approach improves cardiometabolic health. The program is designed to work in real-world settings and be accessible by phone or online.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who work night or rotating shifts and who have disrupted sleep or eating patterns, especially those with overweight, prediabetes, or diabetes, would be the best fit.
Not a fit: People who do not work shifts, minors, or those who cannot change meal timing because of medical diets or severe illness are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could lower obesity and cardiometabolic risk for shift workers by improving when they eat.
How similar studies have performed: Time-restricted and meal-timing approaches have improved weight and metabolic signs in general populations, but very few prior studies have tested these methods specifically in shift workers.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, UNITED STATES
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Manoogian, Emily Nicole Corbett — Salk Institute for Biological Studies
- Study coordinator: Manoogian, Emily Nicole Corbett
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.