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Breast Cancer Research
Published in: Breast Cancer Research 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research article

Nighttime eating and breast cancer among Chinese women in Hong Kong

Authors: Mengjie Li, Lap Ah Tse, Wing-cheong Chan, Chi-hei Kwok, Siu-lan Leung, Cherry Wu, Wai-cho Yu, Priscilla Ming-yi Lee, Koon-ho Tsang, Sze-hong Law, Roel Vermeulen, Fangyi Gu, Neil E. Caporaso, Ignatius Tak-sun Yu, Feng Wang, Xiaohong Rose Yang

Published in: Breast Cancer Research | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

A novel line of research suggests that eating at nighttime may have several metabolic consequences that are highly relevant to breast cancer. We investigated the association between nighttime eating habits after 10 p.m. and breast cancer in Hong Kong women.

Methods

A hospital-based case-control study was conducted during 2012–2015. A total of 922 patients with incident breast cancer (cases) and 913 hospital controls were recruited and interviewed using a standard questionnaire including information on eating behavior during both daytime and nighttime. We collected the timing, duration, types and frequencies of food intake of eating at nighttime. Odds ratios (ORs) for the risk of breast cancer in relation to nighttime eating-related variables were calculated by unconditional multivariable logistic regression.

Results

Eating at night after 10 pm was significantly associated with breast cancer with an adjusted OR of 1.50 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06–2.12, P = 0.02), and the associations were stronger in women who had the longest duration of nighttime eating (≥20 years) (adjusted OR = 2.28 (95% CI 1.13–4.61, P = 0.02) and who ate late (midnight to 2 a.m.) (adjusted OR = 2.73, 95% CI 1.01–6.99, P = 0.04). Interestingly, nighttime eating was only associated with breast cancer among women who consumed staple foods (OR = 2.16, 95% CI 1.42–3.29, P < 0.001) but not those who ate vegetables or fruits as nighttime meals. The significant association between nighttime eating and breast cancer was observed among women with body mass index (BMI) <25 (OR = 2.29, 95% CI 1.48–3.52, P < 0.001) but not among women with BMI ≥25.

Conclusions

Results from this study suggest a possible association between nighttime eating behavior and breast cancer. These findings need to be confirmed by independent large studies.
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Metadata
Title
Nighttime eating and breast cancer among Chinese women in Hong Kong
Authors
Mengjie Li
Lap Ah Tse
Wing-cheong Chan
Chi-hei Kwok
Siu-lan Leung
Cherry Wu
Wai-cho Yu
Priscilla Ming-yi Lee
Koon-ho Tsang
Sze-hong Law
Roel Vermeulen
Fangyi Gu
Neil E. Caporaso
Ignatius Tak-sun Yu
Feng Wang
Xiaohong Rose Yang
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Breast Cancer Research / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1465-542X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13058-017-0821-x

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