Eating more meals a day and not just limiting yourself to breakfast, lunch and dinner, reduces the risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome in overweight young people, despite the increased energy it entails. This is the conclusion of research published in the International journal of obesity, which adds a new beneficial effect to diets with regular hours and without heavy meals.
Numerous studies have corroborated in recent decades a link between increased meals and accelerated metabolism, with the consequent loss of weight. The present research, however, is the first to analyze the relationship between eating frequency, metabolism and visceral adiposity in young people with excess body fat and of Hispanic origin , since they are the most prone to developing this type of disorder .
The team of scientists from the University of Texas (USA) found a correlation between a high number of meals per day and lower fasting insulin levels , which is accompanied by a decrease in insulin resistance, responsible for the inadequate lipogenic action and the tendency to abdominal obesity. The results also revealed that those who ate more regularly had lower levels of circulating triglycerides, the excess of which contributes to hardening and narrowing of the arteries, which can lead to metabolic syndrome. The study, however, did not consider the influence of physical activity on the frequency of meals.
In sum, eating more than three times a day is associated with a lower rate of obesity and a lower risk of metabolic dysfunction; a finding that will be very useful in order to eradicate a growing epidemic around the world.
