A new global study suggests that when people eat could be just as important as what they eat, with earlier mealtimes offering clear health benefits.

The research, published in BMJ Medicine, found that people who limited their daily eating to earlier hours of the day saw improvements in body weight, waist size, blood sugar levels and blood pressure. Those who ate late into the evening showed fewer benefits.

Researchers reviewed data from 41 clinical trials involving more than 2,200 adults. Across the studies, eating earlier consistently delivered better results than late-night eating, even when people did not deliberately cut calories.

Health experts say the findings are particularly relevant for countries like Nigeria, where busy schedules, urban lifestyles and late dinners are becoming more common alongside rising cases of obesity, hypertension and type 2 diabetes.

Rather than strict dieting, the study points to a simpler approach: aligning meals with the body’s natural daily rhythm. Researchers note, however, that longer-term studies are still needed to confirm the full impact.