Neurologist explains what happens when you skip dinner and stop eating after 4 pm: Is it better than skipping breakfast?

Neurologist Dr Sudhir Kumar explains what is actually better for your metabolic health: skipping breakfast or skipping dinner and eating only between 8 am-4 pm.

When it comes to intermittent fasting, particularly the 16:8 diet, where you have a 16-hour fasting window and an 8-hour eating window, the timing of your meals can impact your metabolic health. Dr Sudhir Kumar, a neurologist from Hyderabad, suggests that skipping dinner (eating between 8 am to 4 pm) may offer greater metabolic benefits than skipping breakfast (eating between 12 noon to 8 pm). Find out why.

The doctor shared that skipping dinner may offer greater metabolic benefits than skipping breakfast. (Freepik)

Dr Kumar shared his take on intermittent fasting on X on September 12. He said: “Which among the two eating windows is preferable for a person practising 16:8 intermittent fasting (16-hour fasting, and 8-hour eating window)? Option 1: 8 am to 4 pm (Skip dinner). Option 2: 12 noon to 8 pm (Skip breakfast).”

Benefits of eating earlier (8 am-4 pm)

Listing the advantages of eating earlier (8 am-4 pm eating window), Dr Kumar said:

1. Better insulin sensitivity/ glycemic control with earlier eating windows.

2. Lower fasting glucose in some studies for eTRE ( early time-restricted eating).

3. Greater weight and fat loss in some trials.

4. Better effects on diastolic blood pressure in some studies with earlier windows.

5. Other metabolic markers (inflammation, microbiome diversity, etc.) tend to improve more when eating early rather than late.

He also highlighted 'what the data do not clearly show (or where results are mixed)', and shared:

1. Not all studies find large differences between early vs later windows. Sometimes weight loss is similar.

2. Effects on lipids (cholesterol, LDL etc.) are more inconsistent.

3. Long-term adherence, effect on fat vs lean mass, quality of life, and how chronotype (morning person vs evening person) interacts, need more research.

So what does Dr Kumar suggest?

Dr Kumar said, “Based on current evidence, if one has to choose an 8-hour eating window, skipping dinner (ie eating earlier in the day, for example ~8 am to 4 pm) seems to offer somewhat greater metabolic benefits than skipping breakfast or eating later (eg 12 noon to 8 pm).”

Here's what else you should consider:

1. “Personal lifestyle and chronotype matter. If someone is a night owl or has social or work obligations late in the evenings, earlier windows may be harder to sustain,” Dr Kumar said.

2. He added, “Nutrient quality, total calories, and macronutrient balance still matter a lot.”

3. “Health status matters: people with certain conditions (e.g. diabetes, shift work, etc.) may respond differently, and clinical trials often exclude these,” Dr Kumar concluded.

Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.