Diets high in fat can throw off the body's internal clock, a new study by researchers at Northwestern University has found.

    美國西北大學(Northwestern University)研究員的一項新研究發現，攝取高脂肪食物可能會擾亂人體內部生物鐘。

    The study, published in Cell Metabolism, found that mice fed a fatty diet for two weeks showed significant behavioural changes. Their sleep/wake cycle lengthened suggesting the brain mechanism that controls the timing of activity and rest had been affected.

    該項研究發表在《細胞代謝》(Cell Metabolism)上。研究發現，攝入兩周高脂肪食物的老鼠表現出明顯的行為變化。它們的作息周期變長，表明控制作息時間的大腦機能受到影響。

    When kept in 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness the mice – which are nocturnal – began consuming more food when the lights were on as early as the first week.

    研究人員將老鼠放在光照下12小時，黑暗中12小時。在有光照的情況下，老鼠（喜歡在夜間活動）開始攝入更多的食物，這種現象早在第一周就表現出來了。

    They also displayed altered activity in key genes that control the roughly 24-hour circadian rhythm.

    它們控制著大致24小時生理節奏的關鍵基因活動也表現出變化。