The timing of meals has a large impact on a person's body clock, new research suggests.
Scientists already knew that light affects the body clock, but they have now identified a second biological clock that responds to food intake.
The findings, which are published in the journal Science, suggest that modern-day humans could take advantage of this trait when travelling overseas.
Professor Clifford Saper of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre in Boston, Massachusetts, explained: "If, for example, you are travelling from the US to Japan, you are forced to adjust to an 11-hour time difference.
"Because the body's biological clock can only shift a small amount each day, it takes the average person about a week to adjust to the new time zone. And by then, it's often time to turn around and come home."
He suggested: "Simply avoiding any food on the plane, and then eating as soon as you land, should help you to adjust - and avoid some of the uncomfortable feelings of jetlag."
The timing of meals has a large impact on a person's body clock, new research suggests.
