Eating window and eating habits of adults in China: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have demonstrated that eating time and habits play key roles in human health. However, there is a paucity of research on the epidemiology of eating window and eating habits in China. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between eating window and eating habits among adults in mainland China and explore the factors influencing these parameters. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: A questionnaire comprising demographic data, metabolic index, eating window and eating habits was administered via the Internet. PARTICIPANTS: 1596 adults from mainland China. RESULTS: Eating window of all participants was 13.03 ± 2.02 h (mean ± standard deviation [SD]), which was longer than previously reported in smaller more controlled studies from China. Area of residence and occupation were significant factors influencing eating window after controlling for other factors (area of residence: β, −0.499; 95% confidence interval [CI], −0.897 to −0.101, p = 0.014; occupation: β, −0.309, 95% CI, −0.496 to −0.121, p = 0.001). Participants typically commenced eating at 08:00 h (interquartile range [IQR]: 8:00–9:00) and ceased eating at 20:00 h (IQR: 20:00–22:00). Regular meals which mean two or three meals per day regularly constituted the dominant eating pattern of participants (n = 1233, 77.3%) and 819 (51.1%) participants preferred cooking for themselves. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that eating window of adults in China generally around 13 h. Area of residence and occupation were the main factors influencing eating window. Our data provide a foundation for future studies on eating window and eating habits in China.