Does the number of meals in the diet matter?

According to the principles of healthy nutrition, it is necessary to provide each day the right amount of energy and nutrients necessary for the proper functioning of the body. Healthy nutrition is not only about providing the body with all the necessary nutrients, but also about the regularity of meals and their proper distribution throughout the day. So let's find out whether the number of meals in the diet is important for a person's health.

• How many meals to eat when reducing?
• Number of meals in a reduction diet - a practical approach
• Potential dangers of a small number of meals in the diet
• Does the number of meals in the diet of people with insulin resistance matter?
• How many meals in the diet of physically active people

How many meals to eat when reducing?

It is widely accepted that eating small, frequent meals (e.g., 5-6 per day) instead of several larger meals (3-4) increases metabolism, enhances fat loss and helps maintain a healthy body weight in the long term. Some observational and randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have shown that higher meal frequency (5-6 per day) can be effective in reducing body fat, while a small number of meals (a maximum of 3 per day) is associated with a higher risk of developing abdominal obesity. However, there are significant discrepancies in research findings regarding the adequate number of meals in a reduction diet. The results of a recent meta-analysis of 13 RCTs showed that reducing the frequency of meals by skipping breakfast, thereby increasing fasting time, can help reduce weight in adults. Recent findings indicate that there is little solid evidence that reducing meal frequency (e.g., 1-2 per day) shows beneficial effects on weight loss and waist circumference reduction. Nor does the currently available evidence support current recommendations for increased meal frequency (e.g., 5-6 per day) to lose weight and maintain a healthy body weight.

Number of meals in a reduction diet - a practical approach

As you can see, it is difficult to unequivocally answer the question of how many meals to eat while on a reduction diet. Further research is needed to substantiate whether people who want to lose weight should skip some meals or even eat more meals per day. Practically speaking, people with low to moderate levels of physical activity should eat 3-4 meals per day more often than 5-6 meals. This is especially true for people with relatively low 24-hour energy requirements, who, after taking into account the caloric deficit that is absolutely necessary for effective reduction of excessive body weight, should consume 1500-1800 kcal each day. In this situation, 3 filling and nutritious meals in a diet of 500-600 kcal each will work much better than 5-6 small meals providing only 300 kcal. Three meals rich in protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy vegetable fats and dietary fiber will help intensify postprandial satiety, make daily food preparation easier, and increase the chances of adhering to the diet over the long term.

Potential dangers of a small number of meals in the diet

Irregular consumption of meals in the diet can contribute to feelings of intense hunger, which reduces attention and resistance to stress, worsens mood and increases fatigue and irritability. In addition, too long intervals between meals cause hypoglycemia, or reduced blood glucose levels, in some people. In such a situation, the human body seeks to replenish the energy deficit as quickly as possible and increase the concentration of glucose in the blood, which usually results in increased craving and overeating. High cravings increase sensitivity to taste, sight and smell stimuli, which is why many very hungry people usually reach for high-calorie sweet and also fatty products, including: candy bars, chocolate, pralines, ice cream, marshmallows, cookies and chocolate candies. With this information in mind, it is advisable to consume meals in the diet in such a way that the gaps between them are no longer than 4 hours during the day.

Does the number of meals in the diet of people with insulin resistance matter?

As with the number of meals in people who want to reduce body weight, there is no clear consensus among researchers in strictly answering the question: how many meals in the diet should patients with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes consume. There is scientific evidence that regular consumption of 6 meals per day can reduce glucose and insulin levels during an oral glucose load test and lower glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in both pre-diabetic patients and those with established type 2 diabetes. In addition, it is indicated that eating 6 meals regularly each day may reduce feelings of hunger and desire to eat to a greater extent among this group of patients than eating only 3 meals per day. However, some studies involving diabetics have shown that eating 3 meals per day with a hearty breakfast can contribute to weight reduction and significantly lower blood glucose, insulin and glycated hemoglobin levels, as well as reduced appetite, compared to eating a regular diet of 6 meals.

How many meals in the diet of physically active people

High-performance and amateur athletes strictly focused on developing muscle mass and strength are advised to consume at least 4 high-protein and high-carbohydrate meals in the diet to ensure adequate muscle glycogen stores and stimulate muscle protein synthesis (MPS). The whole-day energy requirements of regular athletes are generally very high, and can be as high as more than 4,000 kcal. For this reason, the number of meals in the diet of athletes is very important, and it is then necessary to ensure that there are more meals per day (e.g. 5-7) to cover energy and nutrient requirements. Introducing only 3 meals in the diet of athletes is an impractical solution, as it is very difficult to distribute 3500-4000 kcal into such a small number of meals, and besides, it can cause gastrointestinal discomfort.

Sources:

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• Wang X, Hu Y, Qin LQ, et al: Meal frequency and incidence of type 2 diabetes: a prospective study. Br J Nutr. 2022 Jul 28;128(2):273-278.

• Paoli A, Tinsley G, Bianco A, et al: The Influence of Meal Frequency and Timing on Health in Humans: The Role of Fasting. Nutrients. 2019 Mar 28;11(4):719.

• Manoogian ENC, Chaix A, Panda S.: When to Eat: The Importance of Eating Patterns in Health and Disease. J Biol Rhythms. 2019 Dec;34(6):579-581.

• Abdollahi S, Kazemi A, de Souza RJ, et al: The effect of meal frequency on biochemical cardiometabolic factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Clin Nutr. 2021 May;40(5):3170-3181.

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• Papakonstantinou E, Kontogianni MD, Mitrou PG, et al: Effects of 6 vs 3 eucaloric meal patterns on glycaemic control and satiety in people with impaired glucose tolerance or overt type 2 diabetes: A randomized trial. Diabetes Metab. 2018 Jun;44(3):226-234.