Study Links Night Owls to Higher Diabetes Risk

Research presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) indicates that individuals classified as 'night owls' have nearly a 50% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared to early risers. Conducted by Dr. Jeroen van der Velde from Leiden University Medical Centre, the study examined over 5,000 participants and found that late chronotypes tend to have higher body mass index (BMI), larger waist circumferences, and increased visceral and liver fat. While lifestyle factors like poor diet and smoking have been associated with late sleep patterns, the study suggests these factors alone cannot fully explain the heightened diabetes risk. The findings highlight the potential impact of circadian misalignment on metabolic health, as the biological clocks of night owls may be out of sync with societal schedules. This could contribute to metabolic disturbances leading to T2D. The research was part of the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity study, which aims to understand the influence of body fat on disease.