The irregular work schedule that comes with being a driver can be a huge obstacle for eating healthfully. Hours of Service (HOS), weather, loading and unloading delays, appointments, breakdowns, and traffic are all factors that can affect your eating habits and your dinner schedule.
 
A study published in the journal Obesity found that the body's internal clock, the circadian system, increases hunger and cravings for sweet, starchy, and salty food in the evening. The urge to consume more in the evening may have helped our ancestors store energy to survive in times of food scarcity, but in the current world of high-caloric food, those late-night dinners or snacks can result in substantial weight gain.

"Of course, there are many factors that affect weight gain, principally diet and exercise, but the time of eating also has an effect. We found with this study that the internal circadian system also likely plays a role in today's obesity epidemic because it intensifies hunger at night," said Steven Shea, Ph.D., director for the Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology at Oregon Health & Science University and senior author on the study. "People who eat a lot in the evening, especially high-calorie foods and beverages, are more likely to be overweight or obese."

The human body handles nutrients differently depending on the time of day. For example, sugar tolerance is impaired in the evening. Consuming more calories in the evening predisposes people to more energy storage and we simply don't expend as much energy after an evening meal in comparison to morning meals.

Also, artificial light keeps people up later than they probably should be and often people don't get enough sleep. "If you stay up later, during a time when you're hungrier for high-calorie foods, you're more likely to eat during that time," Shea said. "You then store energy and get less sleep, both of which contribute to weight gain."

  • Eat larger, higher-calorie meals earlier in the day. This requires some planning ahead for truck drivers, but it can be done! Make a lunch the night before with lean, high protein foods. A chicken or turkey sandwich for lunch and a snack such as apples and peanut butter will give you enough calories and energy to get you through the day and you won’t be starving come dinner time.
  • Choose smaller, lower-calorie meals in the evening. Try to avoid high carbohydrate and sugar intake in the evening as this energy will be stored as fat. Avoid drinking soda and stick to water, milk or tea to go along with your dinner.
  • Go to bed earlier. We know you like to burn the midnight oil catching up on the latest articles on Team Run Smart, but try to get your reading and emails done earlier in the day.  A good time for this might be while you are waiting at a dock.

Your irregular work schedule does not have to be a huge obstacle for eating healthfully. Plan your meals to eat a larger, higher-calorie meal during the day and start avoiding those late nights and late-night cravings.

Time for Dinner? What time do you eat dinner while you are on the road?
 
20%
 
20%
 
33%
 
20%
 
6%


This research was supported by NIH-R01-HL76409 and NIH-K24 HL076446 to SAS, NCRR GCRC M01 RR02635; NIH-P30-HL101299 and NIHR01-HL094806 in support of FAJLS; National Space Biomedical Research Institute through NASA NCC 9-58 in support of CJM.

Story Source: The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Oregon Health & Science University.

Journal Reference: Frank A.J.L. Scheer, Christopher J. Morris, Steven A. Shea. The internal circadian clock increases hunger and appetite in the evening independent of food intake and other behaviors. Obesity, 2013; 21 (3): 421 DOI: 10.1002/oby.20351

Comments (5)

Heather Dunn

Heather started with ATBS in April of 2012 as the Digital Marketing Manager. Heather is a graduate of Michigan State University earning her Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a specialization in Public Relations. When Heather is not working she enjoys being outdoors. She loves the beach, the mountains, and riding her cruiser bike.

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It makes sense to me

May 25, 2013 8:23:42 AM

I always wake up between 10 PM and 2 AM I like a cup of hot tea w/a couple cookies. Very satisfying and not too unhealthy

On the road un-salted, un-buttered popcorn is filling. I stay away from anything carbonated.

May 21, 2013 9:46:23 AM

Late night stay awake foods like pretzels are a great weakness for me. Ray-maybe you should see a Doc about the "morning sickness"? And I agree that we tend to eat "fist food" while the clock is running-I am definitely guilty of that one-but remember that apples, oranges , and bananas are "good fist foods".

May 16, 2013 20:09:02 PM

My biggest problem is I usually don't like to eat breakfast because I usually feel sick to my stomach for the first couple of hours in the morning. Then, because I am on eLogs, I don't want to stop and eat because I just keep thinking that every time I stop that just pushes me back another hour that I will never be able to recoup and that I will have to start my next day an hour later each time. So, I usually end up snacking while going down the road. Then, by the time I get done for the day I am starving and end up eating everything except for the steering wheel and then go to bed.

I know this is a very unhealthy lifestyle to live by and right now I am paying dearly for it with some major health problems. Maybe one day I will dummie up.

May 16, 2013 7:33:28 AM

Great advise to live by.

May 06, 2013 14:04:38 PM