Alignment between timing of 'highest caloric intake' and chronotype in relation to body composition during adolescence: the DONALD Study

PurposeOur aim was to assess alignment in timing of 'highest caloric intake' with individual chronotype and its association with body composition in adolescents.MethodsWe used repeatedly collected data from n = 196 adolescents (age 9-16 years, providing N = 401 yearly questionnaires) of the DONALD open cohort study. Chronotype was assessed by the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire from which midpoint of sleep (MSFsc) was derived. A sex- and age-specific diet-chrono-alignment score (DCAS) was calculated as the difference in hours between the chronotype-specific median timing of highest caloric intake of the studied population and the individual timing of 'highest caloric intake' or vice versa. Repeated-measures regression models were applied to study cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between the DCAS and body composition, e.g., Fat Mass Index (FMI) or Fat Free Mass Index (FFMI).ResultsDCAS ranged from -6:42 h to + 8:01 h and was not associated with body composition. Among adolescents with a later chronotype (N = 201) a 1 h increase in DCAS (later consumption of 'highest caloric intake' in comparison to the median intake of that group), increased FFMI by 1.92 kg/m2 (95% CI: 0.15, 3.69, p value = 0.04) over a median follow-up of 0.94 year.ConclusionAlignment of energy intake with individual chronotype appears beneficial for FFMI among those with a late chronotype.