Why night owls' 'mismatched' body clock could increase their risk of type 2 diabetes By Xantha Leatham, Deputy Science Editor Published: 18:59 EDT, 8 September 2024 | Updated: 19:01 EDT, 8 September 2024 e-mail View comments Night owls have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes because their body clock is out of sync with society, experts have warned. It is already known that those who stay up late and are more active at night are more likely to smoke, eat unhealthy food and have a higher body mass index, which are all linked to the condition. However, the increased diabetes risk may not be down to lifestyle alone, researchers said.
Instead, they suggest the link could also be because a night owl's body clock may be out of sync with the rest of society. A team from Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands analysed sleep timing, waist circumference and the BMI of more than 5,000 people. Night owls have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes because their body clock is out of sync with society, experts have warned.
Pictured: Stock image of security guard Researchers suggest the link could also be because a night owl's body clock may be out of sync with the rest of society (stock image) Of the group, 1,576 had MRI scans to measure visceral and liver fat, while electronic health records were used to check how many people had type 2 diabetes. Patients were categorised into three groups, or 'chronotypes', based on their sleep timing - late, early and intermedi.