Longer gaps between the last food eaten in the evening and the first food eaten the next morning—ideally, 12 hours or more—may reduce breast cancer risk.

The longer the gap, the better the control over blood glucose concentrations—and this may lower risk for breast cancer. Each three-hour increase is associated with a 4% lower glucose level after eating, no matter how much food a woman consumes. Women who waited 12 hours or more also ate fewer total calories.