Maria Guarino and Marlene Lages, researchers at ciTechCare presented two scientific posters at the 2026 ESPEN Congress, organised by the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. The congress took place from 5 to 8 September in Berlin, Germany.

The first poster presented results from the NutriClock project, identifying two distinct chrononutritional phenotypes in a sample of Portuguese adults. Late eaters trended toward a higher body mass index, an extended eating window, and changes in circadian clock gene expression, findings that support the value of integrating meal timing with molecular circadian markers in future nutritional assessments. The study was co-authored by Sara Carmo-Silva (Coimbra Health School) and Renata Barros (Faculty of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Porto).

The second poster examined body composition in people with type 2 diabetes, finding that coexisting Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) was significantly associated with higher visceral fat, despite similar diet, physical activity, and physical function between groups. As the study sample was composed mostly of men, the authors highlight the need for larger, sex-balanced studies to confirm and extend these findings. This poster was co-authored by ciTechCare researchers Neuza Barros, Sofia Flora, Nádia Hipólito, Sara Pimenta, and Joana Cruz.

The ESPEN Congress is the leading global event in clinical nutrition and metabolism, bringing together thousands of healthcare professionals, researchers, and industry experts from more than 100 countries.