Uncovering simple lifestyle interventions that may reduce cancer risk is a major focus of medical research. Most recently, the timing of our evening meal has come under scrutiny.

Share on Pinterest Eating just before sleeping could increase cancer risk.

According to a study that was conducted at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health in Spain, eating your final meal of the day too late can increase the risk of developing cancer.

The relationship between food and cancer has been investigated a great deal.

For instance, regularly eating fresh vegetables has been shown to reduce cancer risk.

Conversely, regularly eating red meat increases the risk of certain cancers.

Over the years, there have also been a number of studies looking at the links between obesity and cancer. However, the impact of when food is eaten has been much less studied.

A recent study investigated potential links between meal timing and two common types of cancer: prostate cancer and breast cancer.

These cancers are also known to be linked with night-shift work and disruption to the biological clock, which infers that they might be sensitive to the timing of lifestyle factors, too.