Eating at odd hrs muddles body clock, raises risk of obesity, diabetes: Study

The liver-brain link Insights from a new study and why late-night eating disrupts health

- Rhythma Kaul

NEW DELHI: Eating at odd hours—a common pattern among shift workers and frequent travelers—can lead to obesity and metabolic disorders such as diabetes, according to a new study by scientists who have discovered a previously unknown communication channel between the liver and brain.

The research by a team from Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and published in Science, reveals that the liver contains its own biological clock that sends precise signals to the brain through the vagus nerve, helping regulate when we feel hungry and choose to eat.

When this delicate timing mechanism is disrupted, it can trigger a cascade of metabolic disturbances that may contribute to weight gain and other health problems.

The insights were uncovered in experiments on mice. Researchers focused on a family of genes called REV-ERBs in liver cells. These genes play a crucial role in maintaining circadian rhythm—the body's internal 24-hour clock that governs everything from sleep cycles to hormone release.