As we get older, our eating habits — what we eat and how much — often change. However, beyond what and how much we consume, another aspect of eating — the timing of meals — and how it relates to health is still not well understood. A team of researchers from Mass General Brigham and their partners studied this in older adults. Their results were published in Communications Medicine.

Hassan Dashti, the lead author and a nutrition scientist, and his team focused on key parts of meal timing that matter for older people. To get reliable data, they analyzed information (including blood samples) from 2,945 adults, aged 42 to 94, who were tracked for over 20 years. The findings first revealed a clear age-related pattern: as people get older, they tend to eat breakfast and dinner later. Beyond this timing shift, the study also highlighted a practical value of meal timing: changes in when older adults eat — especially breakfast time — can be an easy-to-check sign of their overall health. For example, patients and doctors might use these changes as an early warning to look into hidden physical or mental health issues. What’s more, helping older adults keep regular meal schedules could be part of broader plans to support healthy aging and longer lives.

The research further dug into the links between late meal times and health risks. Eating breakfast later, in particular, was linked to health problems like depression, tiredness, and oral health issues. Additionally, trouble preparing meals and poor sleep were found to go along with later meal times too, suggesting these factors might together affect older adults’ eating routines. Most notably, later breakfasts were tied to a higher risk of death during the study period. The team also noticed a genetic connection: people with genes that make them “night owls” (who prefer sleeping and waking later) often ate meals later, which helps explain why some older adults naturally shift their meal times.

Dashti said, “Before, we knew little about how meal timing changes with age and how this affects health and longevity. Our findings fill this gap. This gives new meaning to ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day,’ especially for older people.”

1. 1. Why did the researchers conduct the study?

A    To change older adults’ diets.

B    To find ways to treat depression.

C    To test new blood sample methods.

D    To explore meal timing and health links.

2. 2. What practical use might changes in meal timing serve?

A    A tool for diet planning.

B    An early indicator of health issues.

C    A way to improve sleep quality.

D    A method for genetic testing.

3. 3. What can we learn about late breakfast?

A    It is caused by genetic factors.

B    It reduces sleep time.

C    It may result in illnesses.

D    It helps with meal preparation.

4. 4. What does Dashti think of the study?

A    It offers new insights into meal timing and aging.

B    It needs more blood sample data to prove.

C    It is only important for people who are night owls.

D    It will change how older adults eat.