Clock-gene variants showed inconsistent links with food intake
A systematic review examined daily energy intake across circadian gene variants. The results do not establish a reliable basis for tailoring nutrition to these variants.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review found inconsistent associations between circadian gene variants and food intake. Only an isolated study linked a commonly examined CLOCK variant with higher energy intake and later meals. The overall evidence does not establish that these variants determine eating behavior or that using them to personalize dietary advice improves health.
The authors identified limitations involving dietary measurement, sample size, genetic grouping and population differences. Environmental factors also complicated interpretation. The abstract reports no pooled effect estimate or consistent size of association across studies.
What the review asked
The researchers compared reported daily energy intake across genetic variants involved in circadian timing. Their question concerned differences in eating behavior between genetic groups; it was not a test of whether genetically tailored diets improve outcomes.
Why consistency matters
The positive study also reported greater carbohydrate and fat intake and later mealtimes. Because associations were inconsistent across the review, that result should not be treated as a dependable prediction for someone carrying the variant.
The original publication
Food Intake According to Clock Gene Polymorphisms: A Systematic Review.
Campos LT, Fonseca PF, Rocha DMUP et al.
FASEB J · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40787788
- Record checked
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