A study by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) discovered eating dinner at least two hours before bedtime can lower the risk of cancer. The researchers studied the relationship between the timing of eating food and sleep to possible cancer risks, according to the report, published by the International Journal of Cancer Tuesday. The study discovered there is a 20-percent chance of lowering cancer risks if people eat at least two hours before bedtime in comparison to people who eat dinner after 10 p.m. or go to bed soon after their nighttime meal.

“Our study concludes that adherence to diurnal eating patterns is associated with a lower risk of cancer,” said Manolis Kogevinas, the study’s lead author. The results “highlight the importance of assessing circadian rhythms in studies on diet and cancer.”

Kogevinas noted the findings could impact the cultures of many southern European nations where people eat dinner late.

“Further research in humans is needed in order to understand the reasons behind these findings, but everything seems to indicate that the timing of sleep affects our capacity to metabolise food,” added Dora Romanguera, an ISGlobal researcher, according to ISGlobal.

Spaniards tend to eat lunch between 2 and 4 p.m., and dinner between 9 and 11 p.m., according to Enforex.

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