Does the Timing of Meals Matter?

It’s not uncommon for people to eat at irregular times of the day.

People, even seniors, get busy doing something and soon lunchtime has all but passed them by. Or, they sleep in and by the time they wake up, it’s almost time for lunch, so they don’t bother with breakfast. For healthy people, the consequences of irregular meal times may be minor. However, if your aging relative is diabetic, there are many reasons to stick to a regular schedule when it comes to meals.

Elderly Care in Fairfax VA: Timing of Meals

New Study Links Breakfast Time and Obesity

Researchers recently published a study in a journal called Diabetic Medicine that explored how the timing of meals affected the body weight of people with type 2 diabetes. The study involved 210 participants. In addition to examining the timing of meals, the researchers also looked at waking and sleeping patterns.

The researchers found that people who were “morning people” and ate their breakfast earlier also ate the rest of their meals earlier in the day. In comparison to people who ate later meals, the “morning people” had a lower body mass index (BMI).

Although this single study doesn’t prove that eating breakfast later causes people with diabetes to be obese, the researchers say it is something to take into consideration.

Importance of Eating Regularly

Experts say that eating on schedule can help stabilize blood sugar levels. Diabetics who are on insulin or other medications should eat every four to five hours to avoid blood sugar levels dipping too low.

One advantage to eating regularly is that it takes some planning. When you have to think about when your older adult family member will need to eat, you’re also likely to think about what they will eat. This may lead to planning healthier, more balanced meals.

• WebMD offers the following tips for using regular eating to stabilize blood sugar:
• Eat within the first couple of hours of getting up.
• Don’t eat right before bedtime (unless advised otherwise by a doctor).
• Eat a large breakfast but a smaller dinner.

If your busy schedule makes it hard for you to ensure your aging relative eats at regular times, senior care can assist. A senior care provider can visit the older adult’s home at meal times to make sure they eat on time. Senior care providers can even help to plan healthy meals and make snacks that the diabetic can grab between meals if needed.

Are you or a loved-one considering Elderly Care in Fairfax, VA?  Please call the caring staff at Medical Professionals On Call today. Contact: 703-273-8818

Sources

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com

https://foodandnutrition.org

https://blogs.webmd.com

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Michelle DeFilippis

I graduated with a BS degree and had been selling medical equipment to hospitals, clinics and technicians. More recently, a family member was diagnosed with dementia and we, as a family, realized we were not prepared t care for her. We were thrown into that whirlpool of hospital stays, 24/7 live-in care, skilled care, caring for mom ourselves and finally, now daily home care. This was such a stressful time that I started thinking there had to be other people, other families as overwhelmed and unprepared as we were.

Medical Professionals On Call has such a caring, professional staff who are available to step in with whatever level of care necessary for loved ones and to relieve you of that stress.

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