Many students commonly believe food eaten early in the day is burned off, but if eaten soon before bedtime causes weight gain. Even various health and diet articles instruct on fasting after a given time, such as 8 or 9 p.m.

The quote, “eat breakfast like a king, eat lunch like a prince and eat dinner like a pauper,” popularized by nutrition writer Adelle Davis in the ‘60s, was held as a force of insight into nutritional knowledge. Yet what held true decades ago does not carry the same weight now. Science, specifically in the field of nutrition, changes as we acquire new knowledge.

After evaluating several sources of scientific evidence, it appears this myth comes to a crossroads. Research exists that both supports and refutes the idea that nighttime eating can cause weight gain.

Published studies from the British Journal of Nutrition, Obesity Reviews and the New York Obesity Research Center report weight gain with late-night eating. In contrast, studies from the Oregon Health and Science University concluded that as long as the day’s caloric intake is within optimal range to maintain body weight, time would not play a factor — at least for monkeys used in the research.

How a person’s body uniquely respond to disrupted circadian rhythms — ebbs and flows in the body’s function during the course of a day — could also affect potential weight gain from late-night munching.

At least for now, the answer to the late-night eating weight gain myth is undecided. More research needs to be done before any assumption can be deemed fact, so don’t worry too much if you can’t resist a peanut butter and jelly sandwich after a late shift at work.

Although current science has yet to determine what role time plays in weight gain, metabolically speaking, there are other factors that connect eating later in the day to increased body weight — not eating enough calories throughout the day, for example.

A college student’s day revolves around classes, work, study and social life, which might serve as justification for a missed meal. If food and snacks are not consumed every three to four hours, feeling famished can lead to binge eating. More times than not, this binge eating involves snacks of a certain junk-food quality rather than healthy food.

Mindless eating is another culprit to weight gain, whether it is done during the day or night.

Too often eating late at night is done thoughtlessly, either while studying or looking at a screen. Staring into the abyss of the screen as we snack on second helpings can lead to overeating and eventual weight gain.

Food and drink to fuel late-night studies is universal on any college campus. Some think it is a strategy to avoid succumbing to sleep and staying alert.

“At night, I see students purchase a lot of pre-packaged food,” said Hanna Porterfield, an advertising senior and student employee at Sparty’s Convenience Store. “We rarely sell yogurt, fruit, juice or sandwiches. We sell a lot of large bags of chips and candy bars. There definitely is an increase in our sales of ‘junk’ food at night.”

It is evident the question of whether to eat or not to eat late at night must remain unanswered until further studies are performed.

In the end, late-night eating is not too bad as long as it is done both mindfully and healthfully.

A way to prevent the scenario of the starvation eat-all-in-sight psychosis is to eat portion-controlled meals and snacks every three to four hours throughout the day.

Another good tip is to avoid “snack-multitasking.” Whether snacking in front of the television, computer screen or during studying, overeating is bound to occur.

Try to eat or snack only when you are fully aware of your actions. Learn to judge fullness based on body cues, rather than the bottom of that delicious bag of chips.