“Eating late at night makes you gain weight.”
Timing trials suggest small differences in weight loss, but evidence is low certainty. The results do not justify either inevitable weight gain from late eating or dismissing timing as irrelevant.
Eating late does not guarantee weight gain. Some trials favor distributing more food earlier in the day, but effects are small and uncertain, and diets and populations differ.
The evidence compares repeated meal patterns. It does not show that one late dinner inevitably changes your weight.
Consider meal timing as one part of a sustainable eating pattern. There is no universal evening cutoff established by these studies.
Review your usual eating pattern and choose meal times that are practical for you. Seek individualized advice if weight or appetite changes concern you.