Generally, poor eating habits can be harmful to one’s health, and so health experts say that there is a need to understand the health effects that come with these habits, for example, eating late at night.

With the tight schedule of most people nowadays, health practitioners say it’s easy for one to eat late at night because this is the only time they are free.

However, they are quick to note that depending on what one consumes during this time, it could carry potential health risks.

For instance, overeating processed foods before bed can lead to weight gain or digestive issues, whereas light and healthy meals help stabilise blood sugar.

Also, eating right with a balanced diet and at the right time helps improve the body’s metabolism.

Recent medical studies have shown that eating between the hours of 12pm-11pm resulted in higher levels of blood glucose, insulin and cholesterol, than eating between the hours of 8am-7pm. So, if your goal is to reduce your body fat or your cholesterol, it may be beneficial to try curbing your late night eating habits.

Janvier Rusizana, a general practitioner at Clinique La Triade in Remera, says the main risk of eating late at night is that it has always been linked to consuming more calories.

"This is because of the higher total daily caloric intake and a greater number of eating occasions. Also, late-night eating, especially unhealthy foods, store the extra calories in the body for hours, and this is the reason why one might end up gaining more weight at a high speed,” he says.

The effects

Rusizana says late-night eating can cause digestive issues, explaining that lying in bed immediately or a few minutes after eating can cause stomach acid to flow back into your oesophagus, resulting in acid reflux.

This, he says, can lead to irritation and discomfort, thus ending up affecting one’s sleep.

Private Kamanzi, a nutritionist, says when one consumes unhealthy foods, such as processed or high curb foods, it can lead to unhealthy blood sugar spikes, especially for people with diabetes.

He further explains that this is so because people with diabetes don’t produce enough insulin to balance their blood sugar levels, which can lead to episodes of both high and low blood sugar.

To avoid this, Kamanzi recommends staying away from late-night eating, or if need be, opting for nutritious, low-carb foods or snacks.

How to avoid this habit

Dr Francis Kazungu, a general practitioner in Kigali, says sometimes it’s quite challenging when it comes to sticking to the same time of taking your dinner, and that this is due to the working schedule of most people.

However, he notes that irrespective of this, one should always aim at eating their night meal of the day about three hours before they go to bed, as this comes with many benefits.

He advises that one should always strive to eat enough during daytime to avoid eating late at night.

"When we say eating enough, this means one should consume protein and vegetables, which help keep hunger away throughout the day, thus prevent late-night overeating,” he says.

Rusizana says another way to avoid this habit is to fix sleep issues if there are any. He says that this applies to people with the habit of waking up in the middle of the night to eat.

"This means that when one doesn’t get quality sleep, it will definitely lead to consuming unhealthy foods at any time of the night,” he says.

To rectify this, embrace the habit of consistently sticking to the same time of going to bed every day.