As a doctor and the president and founder of the Canada India Network Society (CINS), I’m sometimes asked why South Asians tend to eat dinner late in the evening compared to other Canadians and whether it’s bad to eat late at night. It could be that our cultures prefer preparing and consuming meals as the day cools down. With food as one of the cornerstones of our social lives, it could also be that meals simply coincide with our parties, which also tend to start late. Good thing refrigerators have lights inside!

No matter the reason, eating late at night can, in fact, impact our health. Research suggests that eating dinner later in the evening increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. With South Asian people being two to three times more likely to develop these conditions 10 years earlier than other ethnic groups the connection is clear.

The good news: By making a few easy changes, you can avoid these health risks and still enjoy meals.

To read more about How cutting back on late night eating can make you healtier from The CINS Dr. Arun Garg via Don’t Change Much – Where guys go to get healthy website.