COLUMBIA, Mo. Media articles and nutritionists alike have perpetuated the idea that for healthy metabolisms individuals should consume small meals multiple times a day. However, new research conducted at the University of Missouri suggests all-day snacking might not be as beneficial as previously thought, especially for obese women.
"Our data suggests that, for obese women, eating fewer, bigger meals may be more advantageous metabolically compared to eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day," said the study's lead author, Tim Heden, a doctoral student in MU's Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology. "Eating larger meals less often lowered blood-fat levels. Over time, consistently eating fewer, larger meals each day could lower the women's blood-fat levels and thereby lower their risk of developing heart disease."
Heden and other MU researchers studied how meal frequency affected blood-sugar and blood-fat levels in eight obese women throughout two 12-hour periods on two separate days. All of the women consumed 1,500 calories. During the two different testing days, the participants consumed three 500-calorie liquid meals or six 250-calorie liquid meals. Throughout the 12-hour time frames, researchers tested sugar and fat levels in the women's blood every 30 minutes. Women who consumed three meals had significantly lower fat in their blood.
"The mass media and many health care practitioners often advocate eating several small meals throughout the day," Heden said. "However, when we examined the literature, we didn't find many studies examining or supporting this popular claim. This lack of research led to our study, which is one of the first to examine how meal frequency affects insulin and blood-fat levels in obese women during an entire day of eating."
More than one-third of Americans are obese, and these individuals are especially at risk for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the country
'/>"/>
| Contact: Jesslyn Chew ChewJ@missouri.edu 573-882-8353 University of Missouri-Columbia Source:Eurekalert |
Related biology news :
1. 15-year study: When it comes to creating wetlands, Mother Nature is in charge
2. Strong scientific evidence that eating berries benefits the brain
3. Nanotherapy: Treating deadly brain tumors by delivering big radiation with tiny tools
4. Beating famine: Sustainable food security through land regeneration in a changing climate
5. New hope for treating Alzheimers Disease: A role for the FKBP52 protein
6. Discovery offers insight into treating viral stomach flu
7. Binge eating may lead to addiction-like behaviors
8. Ultrasound idea: Prototype NIST/CU bioreactor evaluates engineered tissue while creating it
9. A new candidate pathway for treating visceral obesity
10. Creating energy from light and air - new research on biofuel cells
11. Weed-eating fish help protect jobs, livelihoods
 |
| Copyright © 2003-2012 Bio-Medicine. All rights reserved. ABOUT | CONTACT US | DISCLAIMER | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS AND CONDITIONS |  |