The circadian regulation of food intake

• Published in: Nature reviews. Endocrinology 2019-07, Vol.15 (7), p.393-405
• Main Author: Challet, Etienne
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/378/1385/2640; 631/80/105; 692/163/2743; 692/699/2743/393; Biological control systems; Brain - metabolism; Brain research; Brain stem; Circadian Clocks - physiology; Circadian rhythm; Circadian Rhythm - physiology; Circadian rhythms; Dietary intake; Eating - physiology; Endocrinology; Energy Intake; Feeding; Feeding Behavior - physiology; Female; Food; Food and Nutrition; Food consumption; Food habits; Food intake; Health aspects; Humans; Hypothalamus; Hypothalamus - metabolism; Life Sciences; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic disorders; Metabolism; Neurons and Cognition; Nutrients; Physiological aspects; Review Article; Sensitivity and Specificity; Synchronization
• ISSN: 1759-5029; 1759-5037
• DOI: 10.1038/s41574-019-0210-x

Feeding, which is essential for all animals, is regulated by homeostatic mechanisms. In addition, food consumption is temporally coordinated by the brain over the circadian (~24 h) cycle. A network of circadian clocks set daily windows during which food consumption can occur. These daily windows mostly overlap with the active phase. Brain clocks that ensure the circadian control of food intake include a master light-entrainable clock in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus and secondary clocks in hypothalamic and brainstem regions. Metabolic hormones, circulating nutrients and visceral neural inputs transmit rhythmic cues that permit (via close and reciprocal molecular interactions that link metabolic processes and circadian clockwork) brain and peripheral organs to be synchronized to feeding time. As a consequence of these complex interactions, growing evidence shows that chronodisruption and mistimed eating have deleterious effects on metabolic health. Conversely, eating, even eating an unbalanced diet, during the normal active phase reduces metabolic disturbances. Therefore, in addition to energy intake and dietary composition, appropriately timed meal patterns are critical to prevent circadian desynchronization and limit metabolic risks. This Review provides insight into the dual modulation of food intake by homeostatic and circadian processes, describes the mechanisms regulating feeding time and highlights the beneficial effects of correctly timed eating, as opposed to the negative metabolic consequences of mistimed eating. In this Review, Etienne Challet discusses the dual modulation of food intake by homeostatic and circadian processes, describes the mechanisms regulating feeding time and highlights the beneficial effects of correctly timed eating, as opposed to the negative metabolic consequences of mistimed eating. Key points Short-term food consumption is regulated by a balance between orexigenic and anorexigenic factors. Daily pattern of eating is controlled by circadian clocks, including the master clock in the suprachiasmatic nuclei reset by ambient light and other brain clocks reset by feeding time, via hormonal, nutrient and visceral cues. Circadian desynchronization — owing to mistimed eating or chronodisruption — has deleterious consequences on metabolic health. Timed dietary patterns may help to prevent circadian desynchronization and reduce metabolic disorders.