Energy metabolism and appetite regulating hormones follow circadian rhythms which, when disrupted, could lead to adverse metabolic consequences. Such circadian misalignment, a mismatch between endogenous circadian rhythms and behavior, is most severely experienced by shift workers, due to nighttime wake, daytime sleep, and eating at night. However, circadian misalignment is not restricted to shift workers; milder shifts in sleep and mealtimes, termed social and eating jetlag, are highly prevalent in the general population. Social and eating jetlag result in later mealtimes, which may promote positive energy balance and weight gain. Earlier meal timing, specific to individual endogenous circadian patterns, could serve to reduce cardiometabolic disease burden and aid in weight loss and interventions should be done to test this.

能量代谢和食欲调节激素遵循昼夜节律，当被打乱时，可能导致不利的代谢后果。这种昼夜节律失调，即内源性昼夜节律和行为之间的不匹配，在轮班工人中最为严重，原因是夜间醒来、白天睡眠和晚上进食。然而，昼夜节律失调不仅限于轮班工人。睡眠和用餐时间的较温和变化，称为社交和饮食时差，在普通人群中非常普遍。社交和饮食时差会导致晚饭时间，这可能会促进积极的能量平衡和体重增加。较早的进餐时间，特定于个体内源性昼夜节律模式，可以用来减少心脏代谢疾病的负担并有助于减轻体重，应该进行干预来测试这一点。