The impact of evening energy intake on diet quality and body composition: a secondary analysis of the UK National Diet and Nutrition survey

After under-reporters (n1349)(4) and those without body composition (n379) data were removed, EI data (estimated from 4-day food diaries) from 798 adults aged 19–64 were included for analysis. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) controlling for age, sex and total EI was used to analyse differences in body composition, energy density and diet quality score between evening EI quartiles. [...]although a difference between evening EI quartiles and BMI was not observed, those who consumed the greatest% EI in the evening (Q4) had a lower overall diet quality and greater waist-to-hip circumference, a risk factor for multiple metabolic disorders.