Not yet recruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Temporal Eating Patterns and Metabolic Health

This study explores how the timing of meals might affect your health, particularly for new mothers and individuals with a condition called fatty liver disease. While most health advice focuses on what and how much we eat, there's growing interest in when we eat. Eating late can sometimes disrupt how our bodies manage blood sugar and process fats. The researchers want to see if the eating patterns of new mums, who often have disrupted sleep, or people with fatty liver disease are different and if these patterns play a role in their health. The goal is to better understand these connections, which could help develop better healthy eating advice in the future.

At a glance

Status

Not yet recruiting

Sponsor

Maria Chondronikola

Enrolment target

400

Start

01 Jun 2026

Estimated completion

01 Jun 2029

MASLD (Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease)Early Motherhood

What is this study about?

You know how important it is to eat healthily for your body to work well. Often, advice centres on eating less unhealthy foods and moving more. But what if *when* you eat is just as important? This study wants to find out more about how our meal times affect our health, especially for certain groups of people.

For example, new mums often have very broken sleep, which can change when they eat throughout the day. Also, people with a condition called MASLD (Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease), sometimes called 'fatty liver disease', might have eating habits that are accidentally making their condition worse. This study will look at both these groups, comparing them to people who don't have these conditions, to see if there are differences in their eating patterns and what impact this might have on their bodies.

The main aim is to get a clearer picture of how eating patterns, sleep, and daily routines differ among these groups. By understanding these differences, the researchers hope to gather information that could lead to new, more helpful advice on healthy eating and lifestyle in the future. This isn't about making big changes right now, but about learning more to help people stay healthier down the line.

Key takeaways

This study looks at how *when* you eat affects health.
It focuses on new mums and people with fatty liver disease (MASLD).
You'll complete questionnaires and a 3-day food diary.
Some volunteers will have extra checks, like blood tests and body scans.
The goal is to improve future advice on healthy lifestyles.
Participation involves using a smartphone or computer for surveys.

Who may be eligible?

You might be able to join this study if you are an adult between 18 and 80 years old and have a smartphone or computer. The study is looking for a few different groups of people.

One group is women who have had their first baby within the last year, and they'll be compared to women who haven't had children. Another group includes people who have been told they have fatty liver disease (MASLD), and they'll be compared to people of a similar age, sex, and weight who don't have this condition.

There are some reasons why you might not be able to join. For example, if you have a serious illness (other than type 2 diabetes or heart disease for those with MASLD), if you smoke, drink a lot of alcohol, or use certain recreational drugs. Also, if you've recently lost a lot of weight quickly without trying, if you work night shifts, or if you're currently pregnant or gave birth more than a year ago, you wouldn't be able to take part.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you between 18 and 80 years old?
Do you have a smartphone or computer for online forms?
Are you a first-time mother who gave birth in the last 12 months, or have you never had children?
Have you been told you have fatty liver disease (MASLD), or do you not have this condition?
Do you avoid heavy drinking, smoking, or recreational drugs?
Are you not currently pregnant or working regular night shifts?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you take part, you'll need to fill in some questionnaires on a smartphone or computer about your eating habits, sleep, and daily life. You'll also keep a simple diary of what you eat and drink for three days. Some people might also use a mobile app to check their body composition.

A smaller number of volunteers will be asked to do a bit more. This could include a blood test after not eating overnight, having your height, weight, and waist measured, and a body scan to see your fat and muscle. You might also wear two small devices for 14 days: one to track your blood sugar levels and another to monitor your sleep and how active you are. The study information doesn't state how long the entire study will take for participants.

Potential risks and benefits

By taking part, you'll be helping researchers learn more about how eating patterns affect health, which could lead to better health advice for everyone in the future. For the smaller group, blood tests and body scans are generally safe, but there's a small risk of discomfort or bruising from a blood draw, or slight inconvenience from wearing the monitoring devices. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your medical care.

Locations (1)

Cambridge Clinical Research Centre
Verified postcode
Cambridge, United Kingdom

Common questions

What is 'Fatty Liver Disease'?

It's a condition where too much fat builds up in the liver. It's also known as MASLD (Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease).

Do I need to change my diet or lifestyle for this study?

No, you don't need to change anything. The study wants to understand your usual habits.

What do the monitoring devices do?

One device tracks your blood sugar continuously, and the other monitors your sleep and activity levels over 14 days.

Will I get my test results?

The study information doesn't say if you will receive individual results. You can ask the study team about this.

Will I be paid for taking part?

The study information doesn't mention payment for participation. You can ask the study team if there's any reimbursement for your time or travel.

How to find out more

Maria Chondronikola, PhD, MS, MPH, RDN

mc2425@medschl.cam.ac.edu +44-1223-746784 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.