Eat your meals at the same time everyday to curb dementia risk

(Representational image)

New Delhi: Are you consistent with your meal timings? It will do you good if you are.

A new study has revealed that eating your meals at the same time daily may reduce the risk of developing dementia.

As per a report in the Daily Mail, this helps improve gene expression in the area of the brain that is linked to body control, which often degenerates a form of dementia called Huntington's disease (HD).

"HD is a genetically caused disease with no known cure. Lifestyle changes that not only improve the quality of life but also delay disease progression for HD patients are greatly needed," author of the study Professor Christopher Colwell, from The University of California, told the Daily Mail.

The study was conducted on mice, wherein the researchers restricted their food availability that had a rodent form of HD.

Food was given during a six-hour period for one group when they were most active. The rest ate whenever they felt like. Both groups were provided with the same quantity.

Eating at a set time improved the diseased mice's ability to run. "After three months of treatment, when mice reached the early disease stage, they showed improvements in their locomotor activity rhythm and sleep awakening time," Professor Colwell told the Daily Mail. Adding, "Furthermore, we found improved heart rate variability, suggesting their nervous system dysfunction was improved."

"This data suggests feeding schedules could play a role in the treatment of HD and could lead to the development of new treatment options for neurodegenerative disorders," he further went on to reveal.

The study's findings could improve the life of patients with such untreatable diseases.

Previous studies have shown that maintaining such eating habits can also improve sleep quality and heart health.