Eat Three Meals Per Day

Many diet plans suggest eating small meals every 2-3 hours throughout the day instead of simply eating the three 'big' meals, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Eating like this can mean eating as many as 5-6 total meals per day, though the meals are smaller.  The concept behind this eating pattern is that it will assist in our weight loss efforts by boosting our metabolism, reducing our appetite, and helping to support normal blood sugar health.  Although this approach is well accepted by many, the science behind the theory remains open for debate.  Additionally, the impact of eating frequency on the amount of total calories consumed and appetite control remain unclear.

A review of the science behind this issue was recently published in the Journal of Nutrition.  The review primarily examined published feeding studies that focused on the effect of eating frequency on appetite and food intake with the 3 meals/day eating pattern used for comparison.  The study investigators reported that...

Eating more than 3 meals per day:

• Reduced the highest level of feelings of hunger,
• Suppressed the highest level of feelings of fullness, 
• Reduced peak levels of some appetite-related hormones, but
• Had no effects on feelings of hunger or fullness when measured throughout the course of the day.

Eating less than 3 meals per day:

• Increased subjects perceptions of appetite (felt hungrier) and
• Reduced their feelings of fullness.

Overall, this review suggests that eating more than 3 meals per day has only a minimal impact on hunger and hunger-linked hormones.  This suggests that eating smaller amounts of food more frequently probably has little impact on appetite control and probably does not reduce the overall amount of food one eats.  Nonetheless, the study investigators did report that actual studies on eating frequency and food intake are inconsistent and conflicting to date, so additional research is needed to determine if eating more than 3 meals per day has any real benefit on reducing overall caloric intake.  In contrast, this current review of the science clearly indicates that eating fewer than 3 meals per day has a negative impact on feelings of hunger and fullness, suggesting that over time we might lose control over our appetite if we try to stick to a diet plan that recommends eating fewer than 3 meals per day.   In general, this study appears to suggest that eating 3 meals per day remains the preferred eating pattern in regards to its effect on our appetite and food intake.  If we choose to eat smaller meals more closely together over the course of the day, it is important for us to keep close track of our total food intake.  Following an eating pattern that includes fewer than 3 meals per day appears to be a poor choice and likely should be avoided.

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Snacking Linked to Reduced Obesity Risk In Children?

A new obesity study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that snacking is linked to a decreased risk of being overweight and a decreased risk of abdominal obesity.

Upon reading that, many of us are probably thinking that these results make no sense.  After all, wouldn't it make more sense that snacking would increase one's risk for obesity if for no other reason than snacking would increase the amount of calories consumed?  Apparently, the impact of snacking on obesity risk in children is understudied and the results have been inconsistent to date.  Some studies have reported that frequent snacking between meals increases obesity risk, while other studies suggest that consuming several small meals throughout the day instead of relying on 1-3 main meals per day helps with weight control.

This new study examined nutrition and body weight data from the National Health and Nutrition Examinaton Survey (NHANES) between 1999-2004.  For this study, teens were categorized based on the number of snacks they ate per day and their percent of total energy intake from snacks.  Differences in various weight measures between these groups were analyzed.  The study investigators reported:

• Increasing levels of snacking by teens was linked to lower body weights, reduced percentage of overweight or obesity, and smaller waist size in addition to reductions in other weight measures.
• The risk for overweight or obesity was reduced by about 60% in teens eating more than 4 snacks per day.
• Eating more than 4 snacks per day was also linked to about a 60% decreased risk for abdominal obesity.
• Similar results were observed when snacking was examined as a percentage of total dietary intake.  Consumption of snacks at a level greater than 20% of total energy was linked to reduced risk for overweight and abdominal obesity.  

These are both interesting and somewhat puzzling results that will probably continue to fuel the debate regarding snacking frequency in teens and weight control.  These inconsistencies are liable to be due to such things as the types of snacks consumed and whether beverages are included in a study's definition of snacking.  If the snacks being eaten are of poor nutritional quality (high in energy, low in nutrients), then snacking might have the potential to increase obesity risk.  In contrast, if the snacks are healthier and nutrient rich, then snacking might have weight management benefits.  This new study does not appear to mention if the types of snacks were determined.  Instead, this new study appears to be looking at snacking as a general eating pattern regardless of the types of snacks consumed. While nutritionists and other food researchers continue to explore the impact of snacking on weight management and obesity, it is best if we all choose healthy snack options.  This could be as simple as choosing fruits and vegetables for snacking or taking the time to look for snacks that have more protein and carbohydrates than fat content.

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Does Eating Frequently Improve Overall Health?

Many diets suggest that we all should eat small, frequent meals instead of eating at only the three 'big' meals, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  These meals are typically 3-4 hours apart throughout the day and might be as many as 5-6 total meals.  In general, the theory behind eating frequent small meals compared to just three meals is that it will boost our metabolism, which in turn will burn more calories and therefore assist in our weight loss efforts.  While this approach is well-accepted by many, the science behind the theory remains open for debate.

New research published online in the British Journal of Nutrition investigated associations between eating frequencies and body mass index, waist size, diet composition, and other lifestyle factors.  For this study, nutrition researchers collected information from 1,355 men and 1,654 women between 47-68 years of age and analyzed it for potential relationships to eating frequencies.  The investigators reported that:

• A high eating frequency was associated with a greater percent of energy intake from carbohydrates and greater fiber intake.
• Dietary intake of fat, protein, and alcohol decreased with a higher eating frequency.
• A lower eating frequency was associated with less healthy lifestyle habits including smoking, higher alcohol consumption, and lower levels of physical activity.
• In men, but not women, consuming 3 or fewer meals per day was associated with a greater risk for central and overall obesity.

These are interesting study results that will keep the debate over eating frequency going full force.  This new study suggests that eating more than three meals per day is associated with a healthier lifestyle and reduced obesity risk in men.  However, it is important to remember that this is a study of associations and as such does not prove cause and effect.  While this study supports the idea of eating frequently as part of a healthy lifestyle, many other studies have reported that eating frequently does not boost metabolism and does not promote weight loss.   Clearly, well-designed human clinical trials will be needed to settle this debate.  In the meantime if you are going to eat 5-6 meals per day, it is important to remember to consume appropriate portions of healthy choices.  Eating at a high frequency provides more opportunities to over eat or make poor choices, so be sure to monitor your choices if you decide to adopt high frequency eating habits.

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