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Chrononutrition is a rapidly evolving field of nutritional epidemiology that addresses the complex relationship between temporal eating patterns, circadian rhythms, and metabolic health, but most prior research has focused on the cardiometabolic consequences of time-restricted feeding and intermittent fasting. The purpose of this topical review is to summarize epidemiological evidence from observational and intervention studies regarding the role of chrononutrition metrics related to eating timing and regularity in cardiometabolic health preservation and cardiovascular disease prevention. Observational studies are limited due to the lack of time-stamped diet data in most population-based studies. Findings from cohort studies generally indicate that breakfast skipping or the later timing of the first eating occasion, a later lunch and dinner, and a greater proportion of caloric intake consumed in the evening are associated with adverse cardiometabolic outcomes, including higher risk for coronary heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, and systemic inflammation. Randomized controlled trials are also limited, as most in the field of chrononutrition focus on the cardiometabolic consequences of time-restricted feeding. Overall, interventions that shift eating timing patterns to earlier in the day and that restrict evening caloric intake tend to have protective effects on cardiometabolic health, but small sample sizes and short follow-up are notable limitations. Innovation in dietary assessment approaches, to develop low-cost validated tools with acceptable participant burden that reliably capture chrononutrition metrics, is needed for advancing observational evidence. Culturally responsive pragmatic intervention studies with sufficiently large and representative samples are needed to understand the impact of fixed and earlier eating timing schedules on cardiometabolic health. Additional research is warranted to understand the modifiable determinants of temporal eating patterns, to investigate the role of chrononutrition in the context of other dimensions of diet (quantity, quality, and food and nutrition security) in achieving cardiometabolic health equity, and to elucidate underlying physiological mechanisms.

Intermittent fasting (IF) and caloric restriction (CR) are dietary strategies to prevent and attenuate obesity associated with conditions and aging-related outcomes. This scoping review examined the cardiometabolic, cancer, and neurocognitive outcome differences between IF and CR interventions among adults. We applied a systematic approach to scope published randomized controlled trials (databases: PubMed, CINAHL Plus, PsychInfo, Scopus, and Google Scholar) from inception through August 2023. The initial search provided 389 unique articles which were critically appraised. Thirty articles met the eligibility criteria for inclusion: 12 were IF, 10 were CR, and 8 were combined IF and CR interventions. IF and CR were associated with weight loss; however, IF studies tended to report greater adherence compared with CR. Overall, IF and CR were equivalently effective across cardiometabolic, cancer, and neurocognitive outcomes. Our findings suggest that IF has health benefits in a variety of conditions and may be better accepted and tolerated than CR, but more comparative research is required.

Individual sleep dimensions have been linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and cardiometabolic health (CMH), but sleep health is multifaceted. We investigated associations of a multidimensional sleep health (MDSH) score, enabling the assessment of sleep health gradients, with CVD and CMH. Participants were 4555 adults aged ≥20 years from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A MDSH score, capturing poor, moderate, and ideal sleep was computed from self-reported sleep duration, sleep regularity, difficulty falling asleep, symptoms of sleep disorders, and daytime sleepiness. Survey-weighted multivariable linear and logistic models examined associations of MDSH with CVD and CMH. Ideal and moderate vs. poor MDSH were related to lower odds of hypertension (62% and 41%), obesity (73% and 56%), and central adiposity (68% and 55%), respectively; a statistically significant linear trend was observed across gradients of MDSH ( p -trend < 0.001). Ideal vs. moderate/poor MDSH was associated with 32% and 40% lower odds of prevalent CVD and type 2 diabetes, respectively. More favorable MDSH was associated with lower blood pressure, BMI, waist circumference, and fasting glucose. In sex-stratified analyses, ideal vs. moderate/poor MDSH was associated with lower CVD odds and blood pressure in women only. The MDSH framework may be more than just the sum of its parts and could better capture information regarding CVD risk.

Background Sleep variability and social jetlag are associated with adverse cardiometabolic outcomes via circadian disruption. Variable eating patterns also lead to circadian disruption, but associations with cardiometabolic health are unknown. Methods and Results Women (n=115, mean age: 33±12 years) completed a 1-week food record using the Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Assessment Tool at baseline and 1 year. Timing of first and last eating occasions, nightly fasting duration, and %kcal consumed after 5 pm (%kcal 5 pm) and 8 pm (%kcal 8 pm) were estimated. Day-to-day eating variability was assessed from the SD of these variables. Eating jetlag was defined as weekday-weekend differences in these metrics. Multivariable-adjusted linear models examined cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of day-to-day variability and eating jetlag metrics with cardiometabolic risk. Greater jetlag in eating start time, nightly fasting duration, and %kcal 8 pm related to higher body mass index and waist circumference at baseline ( P <0.05). In longitudinal analyses, a 10% increase in %kcal 8 pm SD predicted increased body mass index (β, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.23-0.81) and waist circumference (β, 1.73; 95% CI, 0.58-2.87); greater %kcal 8 pm weekday-weekend differences predicted higher body mass index (β, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.07-0.43). Every 30-minute increase in nightly fasting duration SD predicted increased diastolic blood pressure (β, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.40-1.50); an equivalent increase in nightly fasting duration weekday-weekend differences predicted higher systolic blood pressure (β, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.11-1.05) and diastolic blood pressure (β, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.10-0.80). Per 10% increase in %kcal 5 pm SD, there were 2.98 mm Hg (95% CI, 0.04-5.92) and 2.37mm Hg (95% CI, 0.19-4.55) increases in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure; greater %kcal 5 pm weekday-weekend differences predicted increased systolic blood pressure (β, 1.83; 95% CI, 0.30-3.36). For hemoglobin A1c, every 30-minute increase in eating start and end time SD and 10% increase in %kcal 5 pm SD predicted 0.09% (95% CI, 0.03-0.15), 0.06% (95% CI, 0.001-0.12), and 0.23% (95% CI, 0.07-0.39) increases, respectively. Conclusions Variable eating patterns predicted increased blood pressure and adiposity and worse glycemic control. Findings warrant confirmation in population-based cohorts and intervention studies.

Time spent sitting is positively correlated with endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular disease risk. The underlying molecular mechanisms are unknown. MicroRNAs contained in extracellular vesicles (EVs) reflect cell/tissue status and mediate intercellular communication. We explored the association between sitting patterns and microRNAs isolated from endothelial cell (EC)-derived EVs. Using extant actigraphy based sitting behavior data on a cohort of 518 postmenopausal overweight/obese women, we grouped the woman as Interrupted Sitters (IS; N = 18) or Super Sitters (SS; N = 53) if they were in the shortest or longest sitting pattern quartile, respectively. The cargo microRNA in EC-EVs from the IS and SS women were compared. MicroRNA data were weighted by age, physical functioning, MVPA, device wear days, device wear time, waist circumference, and body mass index. Screening of CVD-related microRNAs demonstrated that miR-199a-5p, let-7d-5p, miR-140-5p, miR-142-3p, miR-133b level were significantly elevated in SS compared to IS groups. Group differences in let-7d-5p, miR-133b, and miR-142-3p were validated in expanded groups. Pathway enrichment analyses show that mucin-type O-glycan biosynthesis and cardiomyocyte adrenergic signaling (P < 0.001) are downstream of the three validated microRNAs. This proof-of-concept study supports the possibility that CVD-related microRNAs in EC-EVs may be molecular transducers of sitting pattern-associated CVD risk in overweight postmenopausal women.

Active travel (AT) provides an opportunity to alleviate the physical inactivity and climate crises contributing to the global chronic disease burden, including cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Though AT shows promising links to reduced CVD risk, prior studies relied on self-reported AT assessment. In the present study, device-measured and self-reported AT were compared across population subgroups and relationships with CVD risk biomarkers were evaluated for both measures. The study recruited an ethnically diverse sample (N = 602, mean age 59 years, 42% Hispanic/Latino ethnicity) from neighborhoods that varied by walkability and food access. AT was assessed using concurrently collected accelerometer and GPS data and self-report data from a validated survey. Relationships with body mass index (BMI), triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, blood pressure (BP), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were modeled using multivariable linear regression. Devices captured more AT than did self-report. We found differences in AT measures by population subgroups, including race, ethnicity, education, income, vehicle access, and walkability. Men had more accelerometer-measured MVPA, though women self-reported more daily minutes. Both device and survey AT measures were positively associated with total accelerometer-measured MVPA, though the relationship was stronger with device-measured AT. Device-measured AT was associated with lower BMI. No other CVD risk biomarker was associated with either AT measure. No effect modification by Hispanic/Latino ethnicity was detected. Further studies with device-based measures are warranted to better understand the relationship between AT and cardiovascular health.

The Go Red for Women movement was initiated by the American Heart Association (AHA) in the early 2000s to raise awareness concerning cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in women. In 2016, the AHA funded 5 research centers across the United States to advance our knowledge of the risks and presentation of CVD that are specific to women. This report highlights the findings of the centers, showing how insufficient sleep, sedentariness, and pregnancy-related complications may increase CVD risk in women, as well as presentation and factors associated with myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in women. These projects were augmented by collaborative ancillary studies assessing the relationships between various lifestyle behaviors, including nightly fasting duration, mindfulness, and behavioral and anthropometric risk factors and CVD risk, as well as metabolomic profiling of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in women. The Go Red for Women Strategically Focused Research Network enhanced the evidence base related to heart disease in women, promoting awareness of the female-specific factors that influence CVD.

Background Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption has been associated with cardiometabolic risk. However, the association between total and type of SSB intake and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) end points such as myocardial infarction, stroke, and revascularization is limited. Methods and Results We examined the prospective association of baseline SSB consumption with incident CVD in 106 178 women free from CVD and diabetes mellitus in the CTS (California Teachers Study), a cohort of female teachers and administrators, followed since 1995. SSBs were defined as caloric soft drinks, sweetened bottled waters or teas, and fruit drinks, and derived from a self-administered food frequency questionnaire. CVD end points were based on annual linkage with statewide inpatient hospitalization records. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the association between SSB consumption and incident CVD. A total of 8848 CVD incident cases were documented over 20 years of follow-up. After adjusting for potential confounders, we observed higher hazard ratios (HRs) for CVD (HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.06-1.34), revascularization (HR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.04-1.54]), and stroke (HR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.04-1.41) in women who consumed ≥1 serving per day of SSBs compared with rare/never consumers. We also observed a higher risk of CVD in women who consumed ≥1 serving per day of fruit drinks (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.00-2.01 [ P trend=0.021]) and caloric soft drinks (HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.05-1.44 [ P trend=0.0002]), compared with rare/never consumers. Conclusions Consuming ≥1 serving per day of SSB was associated with CVD, revascularization, and stroke. SSB intake might be a modifiable dietary target to reduce risk of CVD among women.

Background: Persons with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder (PwS) have high rates of cardiometabolic pathology that contributes to premature mortality. Adiponectin is a metabolic hormone affecting insulin sensitivity and inflammation, and is active in the brain. High-molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin is considered a more sensitive marker of metabolic dysfunction than total adiponectin, but has been poorly studied in schizophrenia., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 100 PwS, age range 26-68 years (46 women), and 93 age- and sex-comparable non-psychiatric comparison (NC) subjects. Assessments included measures of psychopathology, physical health, cognitive function, and circulating biomarkers of metabolic dysfunction (HMW adiponectin, lipids, insulin resistance) and inflammation (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein or hs-CRP, Tumor Necrosis Factor-α, Interleukin-6, and Interleukin-10)., Results: HMW adiponectin levels were lower in PwS compared to NCs. Lower HMW adiponectin levels were associated with higher body mass index (BMI), higher Framingham risk for coronary heart disease, higher number of metabolic syndrome criteria, greater insulin resistance, lower HDL cholesterol, and higher hs-CRP in both groups. Only in PwS, lower HMW adiponectin correlated with younger age. In the best-fit regression models of HMW adiponectin, lower levels were associated with lower HDL cholesterol and minority race/ethnicity in both groups; but with younger age, non-smoking, higher insulin resistance, and a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder only among PwS, and with male sex, better cognitive functioning, and higher hs-CRP levels in NCs only., Discussion: HMW adiponectin may be a promising biomarker of cardiometabolic health, especially among PwS. Adiponectin is a potential target for lifestyle and pharmacological interventions. Research on the possible role of HMW adiponectin in modifying cardiometabolic pathology in schizophrenia is needed., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: While there is increasing recognition of the risks associated with hypoglycemia in patients with diabetes, few studies have investigated incident cause-specific cardiovascular outcomes with regard to low fasting glucose in the general population., Objective: We hypothesized that low fasting glucose would be associated with cardiovascular disease risk and all-cause mortality in postmenopausal women., Methods: To test our hypothesis, we used both continuous incidence rates and Cox proportional hazards models in 17,287 participants from the Women's Health Initiative with fasting glucose measured at baseline. Participants were separated into groups based on fasting glucose level: low (<80mg/dL), normal/reference (80-99mg/dL), impaired (100-125mg/dL), and diabetic (≥126mg/dL)., Results: Participants were free of cardiovascular disease at enrollment, had mean age of 62years, and were 52% Caucasian, 24% African American, 8% Asian, and 12% Hispanic. Median follow-up was 15years. Graphs of continuous incidence rates compared to fasting glucose distribution exhibited evidence of a weak J-shaped association with heart failure and mortality that was predominantly due to participants with treated diabetes. Impaired and diabetic fasting glucose were positively associated with all outcomes. Associations for low fasting glucose differed, with coronary heart disease (HR=0.64 (0.42, 0.98)) significantly inverse; stroke (0.73 (0.48, 1.13)), combined cardiovascular disease (0.91 (0.73, 1.14)), and all-cause mortality (0.97 (0.79, 1.20)) null or inverse and not significant; and heart failure (1.27 (0.80, 2.02)) positive and not significant., Conclusions: Fasting glucose at the upper range, but not the lower range, was significantly associated with incident cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)