The idea that the right timing for your meals can affect the amount of weight you lose is one of the most popular diet advice.
If you wanted to lose weight, you should eat a large meal at the beginning of the day and keep smaller later meals.
The logic behind this theory is understandable, since almost every cell in the body follows the same 24 hour cycle. Most of our biological functions, including metabolism, are regulated by the daily rhythms of ourcircadian clocks.
Scientists propose that the way in which we process meals varies depending on the time of day. This field of research can help improve people's health.
People lose weight when they consume more calories early in the day and less in the evening, according to two studies. A new study shows that the relative size of breakfast and dinner does not affect metabolism or weight loss.
The link between the size of breakfast and dinner and their effect on hunger was investigated by a team of researchers.
For four weeks, the participants were fed two different diet plans: a big breakfast and a small dinner and a small breakfast with a big dinner. Lunches were the same.
We provided all of the meals so we knew how many people were eating. We monitored how many calories they burned.
To compare the effect of meal patterns in the same people, participants undertook both diet conditions.
A big breakfast and small dinner would increase calories burned. The results of the experiment did not show any differences between the two meal patterns.
The measures of energy usage include how many calories your body uses at rest, physical activity, and use of a chemical form of water.
There were no differences in the levels of the three hormones. Changes in the factors in the blood are related to health.
In short-term studies, participants live in a small, air-tight room with basic comforts for the duration of the experiment.
The research shows that the way our bodies process calories in the morning does not affect weight loss in the way that has been reported.
The only difference we found was a change in the amount of food they wanted to eat.
Participants reported less hunger throughout the day because of the meal pattern. The effect may be useful for people who want to lose weight.
There were some limitations to our study. Participants were studied for four weeks. There are differences in the effects of early and late energy intake.
Body weight is not likely to have changed if the study was more than four weeks.
The study participants were able to choose the exact time of their meals. There wasn't much difference in the timing of the meals.
There is increasing evidence that meal timing can help improve the health of many people.
Our research shows that the time of day you eat your biggest meal isn't as important as previously thought.
The Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, and the University of Aberdeen have a chair in nutrition.
Under a Creative Commons license, this article is re-posted. The original article is worth a read.
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