How eating dinner earlier or later affects behavior and metabolic health
Official title: Effects of Dinner Timing on Eating Behaviour, Physical Activity and Metabolic Health
Run by National Taiwan Normal University · NCT07109583 · Data updated 2026-11-12
We will try having healthy adults eat dinner earlier for one week and later for one week to see if the timing changes their eating habits, activity, glucose levels, and sleep.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 20 Years to 50 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 20 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | National Taiwan Normal University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Taipei) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | August 20, 2025 |
| Main results expected | July 1, 2026 |
| Study ends | July 1, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | January 23, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07109583 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Healthy adults with BMI 18.5–27 kg/m² who are non-smokers, not regular exercisers, eat three meals daily with usual dinner between 17:00–20:00, have regular sleep (about 22:00–01:00), and can comply with the protocol are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
People who are pregnant, preparing for pregnancy, in menopause, have diabetes, cardiovascular or other metabolic disease, diagnosed sleep disorders, or take medications that affect glucose metabolism are unlikely to benefit and are excluded.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a within-subject intervention in which participants follow an early-dinner schedule (17:30–19:00) for one week and a delayed-dinner schedule (20:30–22:00) for one week, with continuous monitoring throughout each period. Energy intake (three weekdays and one weekend day), physical activity, interstitial glucose, and sleep will be tracked during both intervention weeks. After the interventions, investigators will measure body composition, cognition, food preferences, metabolic biomarkers, and resting metabolic rate. Participants are healthy adults who meet BMI, sleep, and lifestyle criteria and must attend in-person visits at the study site.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, changing dinner timing could offer a simple, non-drug way to improve appetite, activity patterns, glucose regulation, or other metabolic measures in healthy adults.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research on meal timing and time-restricted eating has shown mixed but sometimes favorable effects on metabolic markers, so this design builds on existing but not definitive evidence.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * No regular exerciser in the last 3 months. * BMI between 18.5-27 kg/m². * Regular habit of eating three meals per day, with dinner consumed between 17:00 and 20:00. * No intentional weight change (\>3%) in the past 3 months. * No special dietary practices (e.g., intermittent fasting). * Regular sleep (22:00-01:00), at least 6.5 hours per night. * Non-smoker and non-alcoholic. * Willing to maintain stable lifestyle and comply with protocol. Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnancy, preparing for pregnancy or menopause. * Personal history of/existing diabetes, cardiovascular disease or metabolic diseases. * Diagnosed sleep disorders. * Taking medications influencing glucose metabolism.
Where it's running
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National Taiwan Normal University
Taipei, Taiwan Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Chen — National Taiwan Normal University
- Study coordinator: Yung-Chih Chen
- Email: yc.chen@ntnu.edu.tw
- Phone: +886277496979
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.