OHSU study links late-night eating to liver disease risk

by CBS2 News Staff Mon, October 12, 2026 at 11:17 AM Oregon Health & Science University (KATU) PORTLAND, Ore. (CBS2) — New research from Oregon Health & Science University suggests thinking twice about late-night snacks to preserve liver health. The study, published in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, documents an increase in the correlation between people who reported late-night eating, after dinner or after bedtime, and a heightened risk of two types of liver disease.

Lead author Robert Wilechansky, M.D., a hepatologist at OHSU specializing in liver transplantation, noted that night shift workers grapple with misalignment of the body's natural day-night cycle, with elevated rates of obesity and heart disease. Researchers found a 20 to 30% increase in all forms of liver disease among the group of people who reported late-night eating compared to those who did not.

A co-author, Andrew McHill, Ph.D., associate professor and sleep and circadian physiologist at OHSU, said the new study builds upon previous research revealing the importance of the body clock to overall health. He noted that previous research in animal models revealed the liver as one of the organs most susceptible to misalignment between eating and sleep timing.

Wilechansky cautions that the study is observational and based on broadly defined self-reported data, but it provides a starting point for further research. For more information, click HERE .