India, April 25 -- Chronic stress is already known to disrupt bowel function, often causing diarrhea or constipation. Now, new research to be presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2026 suggests that eating late at night may worsen these effects, with significant implications for digestive health and the gut microbiome.

"It's not just what you eat, but when you eat it," said Dr. Harika Dadigiri, resident physician at New York Medical College at Saint Mary's and Saint Clare's Hospital, and the study's lead author. "And when we're already under stress, that timing may deliver a 'double hit' to gut health."

Researchers analysed data from more than 11,000 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to examine the...