Zhonghua Liu Xing Bing Xue Za Zhi · Oct 10, 2026

Research progress in chrono-nutrition for four major chronic and non-communicable diseases

By Chen Q, Yan RH, Wu J

Chronic and non-communicable disease is the leading cause of death and disease burden globally. Traditional prevention and control strategies mainly focuses on dietary composition and total energy intake, with less emphasis on the temporal patterns of eating behavior. Chrono-nutrition, as an emerging interdisciplinary field, focuses on the interaction between meal timing, frequency, regularity, and the body's endogenous circadian rhythms, and its impact on health. This paper systematically summarizes the influence and potential mechanisms of chrono-nutrition in four major chronic and non-communicable diseases: cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease. Current evidence indicates that irregular meal time (e.g., skipping breakfast, postponed evening meal, or eating at nighttime), prolonged eating windows, and disordered eating frequency might be associated with an increased risk or poor prognosis of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and type Ⅱ diabetes. The underlying mechanisms involve lipid metabolism, insulin sensitivity, inflammatory responses, and the circadian rhythm regulation. Interventions like time-restricted eating have shown potential in improving cardiometabolic parameters and in cancer models. However, research on the association between chrono-nutrition and chronic respiratory disease is limited, and existing evidence across different populations and conditions exhibits heterogeneity. This paper aims to provide a new perspective for understanding the role of chrono-nutrition in the prevention and control of four major chronic non-communicable diseases, suggest the focus for future research, and provide a theoretical basis for developing more personalized strategies for the prevention and management of chronic and non-communicable diseases.

doi.org/10.3760/cma.j.cn112338-20251112-00819PubMed 42907204Interventions