Timing of food intake and lifetime acne and severity in the French NutriNet-Santé cohort
Abstract
Background: Associations between meal timing and frequency with acne are understudied in humans, despite pathophysiological hypotheses. This study aims to evaluate the association between chrononutrition and lifetime acne and severity in adults.
Methods: We analyzed data from 27,411 adults (76% females, 48 years±14y) enrolled in the NutriNet-Santé cohort (2009-2018), who responded to the diet and skin questionnaire in 2018, and filled at least 3 24-H dietary records (mean= 23 records ±13). Associations between timing of first and last eating episodes of the day, number of eating occasions, nighttime fasting duration (NFD), eating jetlag, and percentage of energy intake after 5PM, and the odds of lifetime acne and acne severity were evaluated using multi-adjusted logistic regression models. Associations between chrononutritional behavioral patterns, derived using principal component analysis (PCA), and the odds of lifetime acne were also explored.
Results: Lifetime acne was reported in 12,903 participants (47.1%). In fully adjusted models, a later last eating occasion (OR per 1hr-increase = 1.06[1.02-1.10]), and the number of eating occasions (non-linear association: (> 6) vs (0-3) eating occasions= 1.38[1.20-1.58]) were associated with higher odds of lifetime acne. A chrononutritional pattern reflecting a later eating window was associated with lifetime acne (OR for 1 SD increase= 1.06[1.03-1.09]), while a pattern characterized by prolonged NFD, and early last eating episode was inversely associated (0.94[0.92-0.97]). In models exploring the severity of current acne episodes, the number of eating occasions was associated with mild (1.08[1.03-1.13]), and moderate to severe acne (1.05[1.01-1.10]) compared to never acne.
Conclusions: This study suggests a potential role of time and frequency of eating in acne occurrence and severity in adults. Longitudinal and interventional studies are needed to confirm these associations, and the underlying mechanisms.
Key messages: • Beyond the nutritional quality of meals, meal timing and frequency, particularly time of last meal, may play a role in acne occurrence.
• More largescale prospective and intervention studies are needed to better understand the links between meal timing and adult acne.
Related
- Timing of food intake and risk of overweight and obesity in the French NutriNet-Santé cohort
- FODMAP Consumption by Adults from the French Population-Based NutriNet-Santé Cohort
- Eating jetlag based on meal timing discrepancies and risk of cardiovascular disease using the prospective cohort NutriNet-Santé
- Daily Patterns in the Timing of Medication and Supplement Intake
- Toward a Dimensional Approach of Hypersomnolence: Psychometric Validation of the French Version of the Hypersomnia Severity Index in a National Quota-Based Sample of the General Population
BibTeX
@article{obeid2026timing,
title = {{Timing of food intake and lifetime acne and severity in the French NutriNet-Santé cohort}},
author = {E Obeid and L Penso and E Sbidian and M Touvier and K Ezzedine and B Srour},
journal = {The European Journal of Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.082},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.082},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Timing of food intake and lifetime acne and severity in the French NutriNet-Santé cohort
AU - E Obeid
AU - L Penso
AU - E Sbidian
AU - M Touvier
AU - K Ezzedine
AU - B Srour
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - The European Journal of Public Health
DO - 10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.082
UR - https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.082
AB - Background: Associations between meal timing and frequency with acne are understudied in humans, despite pathophysiological hypotheses. This study aims to evaluate the association between chrononutrition and lifetime acne and severity in adults. Methods: We analyzed data from 27,411 adults (76% females, 48 years±14y) enrolled in the NutriNet-Santé cohort (2009-2018), who responded to the diet and skin questionnaire in 2018, and filled at least 3 24-H dietary records (mean= 23 records ±13). Associations between timing of first and last eating episodes of the day, number of eating occasions, nighttime fasting duration (NFD), eating jetlag, and percentage of energy intake after 5PM, and the odds of lifetime acne and acne severity were evaluated using multi-adjusted logistic regression models. Associations between chrononutritional behavioral patterns, derived using principal component analysis (PCA), and the odds of lifetime acne were also explored. Results: Lifetime acne was reported in 12,903 participants (47.1%). In fully adjusted models, a later last eating occasion (OR per 1hr-increase = 1.06[1.02-1.10]), and the number of eating occasions (non-linear association: (> 6) vs (0-3) eating occasions= 1.38[1.20-1.58]) were associated with higher odds of lifetime acne. A chrononutritional pattern reflecting a later eating window was associated with lifetime acne (OR for 1 SD increase= 1.06[1.03-1.09]), while a pattern characterized by prolonged NFD, and early last eating episode was inversely associated (0.94[0.92-0.97]). In models exploring the severity of current acne episodes, the number of eating occasions was associated with mild (1.08[1.03-1.13]), and moderate to severe acne (1.05[1.01-1.10]) compared to never acne. Conclusions: This study suggests a potential role of time and frequency of eating in acne occurrence and severity in adults. Longitudinal and interventional studies are needed to confirm these associations, and the underlying mechanisms. Key messages: • Beyond the nutritional quality of meals, meal timing and frequency, particularly time of last meal, may play a role in acne occurrence. • More largescale prospective and intervention studies are needed to better understand the links between meal timing and adult acne.
SN - 1101-1262
SN - 1464-360X
ER -