These recent studies show pretty compelling arguments against skipping meals, and supports the notion that eating small meals throughout the day may be the more beneficial approach.
It seems like a logical game plan: In order to cut calories and lose weight, just skip a meal here and there. However, researchers now say that diet approach can backfire and increase belly fat.
The scientists’ findings came after studying the eating habits of mice. They divided the mice into two groups: one that was allowed to nibble on food throughout the day and another that was only fed once every 24 hours (the equivalent of fasting most of the day and then bingeing on a big meal). They found that the mice on the latter eating plan initially lost weight, but gained it back when more calories were restored to their diets—a pattern that may sound all too familiar to human dieters.
The mice that fasted and then gorged didn’t just regain weight, however. They also developed insulin resistance in their livers. The researchers explained that when the liver doesn’t respond to insulin signals telling it to stop producing glucose, that extra sugar in the blood ends up stored as adipose tissue, or fat, in the body.
In addition to setting you up for more fat gain instead of fat loss, skipping meals might also affect you pocketbook. According to another new study, hunger may cause you to buy things (both food and non-food items) that you wouldn’t normally want or buy if you weren’t hungry.
The study found that hunger generates generic, non-specific want. The scientists told a group of subjects (half were hungry, half were not) about a new type of binder clip and asked them how many they wanted. Hungry subjects wanted many more. The interesting part was that the hungry subjects who wanted 4,000 binder clips didn’t rate themselves as liking the clips more than subjects who, having eaten recently, were content with getting just one clip. Wanting and liking were dissociated.
ForMen takeaway: These recent studies show pretty compelling arguments against skipping meals, and supports the notion that eating small meals throughout the day may be the more beneficial approach. Plus, isn’t it nicer to not have to go hungry?
Relevant sources:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/skipping-meals-may-increase-belly-fat-study-finds/
http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-appetite-affects-the-brain-1432222728
Curated from the CBS News and the Wall Street Journal
