Late-Night Eating Linked to 20%–30% Higher Risk of Liver Disease

People who reported eating late at night had a 20% to 30% higher risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and cirrhosis than those who did not, according to researchers at Oregon Health & Science University and Massachusetts General Hospital.

Study links late-night eating with MASLD and cirrhosis

“Night-shift workers suffer from increased rates of obesity and heart disease, as well as a shift in their body’s natural day-night cycle,” said Dr. Robert Wilechanski, a hepatologist at Oregon Health & Science University.

“With fatty liver disease affecting 30% of the U.S. population, we thought a small change in meal timing might make a difference.”

“We know that the liver is very much in tune with the body’s circadian rhythm. So we’re interested in changing the timing of meals in a way that can make a difference in health without changing the composition of what people eat.”

The researchers focused on two liver conditions: metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD, and cirrhosis. MASLD involves an accumulation of fat in the liver and was formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Cirrhosis is a severe form of liver scarring.

Researchers analyzed data from nearly 200,000 participants

The authors used information from three large, existing health studies: the Nurses’ Health Study, the Nurses’ Health Study II, and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.

They analyzed diet and lifestyle information reported by approximately 200,000 participants, grouped the participants according to their eating behaviors, and examined associations with reported cases of MASLD and cirrhosis.

Participants who reported eating late at night had a 20% to 30% higher rate of both conditions than those who did not report late-night eating.

Meal timing may affect the body’s circadian rhythm

The findings add to growing evidence that the body’s circadian rhythm, or internal 24-hour clock, plays an important role in health.

“We’re seeing over and over again that the timing of our actions, whether it’s sleeping, eating, or exercising, is really important,” said Dr. Andrew McHill, a sleep and circadian physiologist at Oregon Health & Science University.

“For example, we know that eating at night, when your body clock encourages sleep, reduces your body’s ability to metabolize food efficiently, which can ultimately lead to obesity, diabetes, and poor liver health.”

Late-night eating was associated with liver disease, not proven to cause it

Because the study relied on participants’ reports of their own habits, it does not show that late-night eating causes liver disease. Instead, it identifies an association. Other factors, including overall diet quality, body weight, and sleep patterns, may also contribute to liver health.

The results appear in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

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Robert M. Wilchansky and colleagues. Late-night eating is associated with MASLD and cirrhosis: Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, published online October 10, 2026. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2026.09.047