Farshchi H R, Taylor M A, Macdonald I A
Centre for Integrated Systems Biology and Medicine, Institute of Clinical Research and School of Biomedical Sciences, Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2004 May;28(5):653-60. doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0802616.
To investigate the impact of irregular meal frequency on body weight, energy intake, appetite and resting energy expenditure in healthy lean women.
Nine healthy lean women aged 18-42 y participated in a randomised crossover trial consisting of three phases over a total of 43 days. Subjects attended the laboratory at the start and end of phases 1 and 3. In Phase 1 (14 days), subjects were asked to consume similar things as normal, but either on 6 occasions per day (regular meal pattern) or follow a variable predetermined meal frequency (between 3 and 9 meals/day) with the same total number of meals over the week. In Phase 2 (14 days), subjects continued their normal diet as a wash-out period. In Phase 3 (14 days), subjects followed the alternative meal pattern to that followed in Phase 1. Subjects recorded their food intake for three predetermined days during the irregular period when they were eating 9, 3 and 6 meals/day. They also recorded their food intake on the corresponding days during the regular meal pattern period. Subjects fasted overnight prior to each laboratory visit, at which fasting resting metabolic rate (RMR) was measured by open-circuit indirect calorimetry. Postprandial metabolic rate was then measured for 3 h after the consumption of a milkshake test meal (50% CHO, 15% protein and 35% fat of energy content). Subjects rated appetite before and after the test meal.
There were no significant differences in body weight and 3-day mean energy intake between the regular and irregular meal pattern. In the irregular period, the mean energy intake on the day when 9 meals were eaten was significantly greater than when 6 or 3 meals were consumed (P=0.0001). There was no significant difference between the 3 days of the regular meal pattern. Subjective appetite measurement showed no significant differences before and after the test meal in all visits. Fasting RMR showed no significant differences over the experiment. The overall thermic effect of food (TEF) over the 3 h after the test meal was significantly lower after the irregular meal pattern (P=0.003).
Irregular meal frequency led to a lower postprandial energy expenditure compared with the regular meal frequency, while the mean energy intake was not significantly different between the two. The reduced TEF with the irregular meal frequency may lead to weight gain in the long term.
研究不规律进餐频率对健康瘦女性体重、能量摄入、食欲和静息能量消耗的影响。
9名年龄在18 - 42岁的健康瘦女性参与了一项随机交叉试验，该试验共分为三个阶段，为期43天。受试者在第1阶段和第3阶段开始和结束时到实验室。在第1阶段（14天），要求受试者像往常一样进食，但每天进食6次（规律进餐模式），或者遵循预先设定的可变进餐频率（每天3至9餐），一周内进餐总数相同。在第2阶段（14天），受试者继续正常饮食作为洗脱期。在第3阶段（14天），受试者遵循与第1阶段相反的进餐模式。受试者在不规律进餐期间（每天进食9餐、3餐和6餐时）记录三天的食物摄入量。她们还记录了规律进餐模式期间相应日期的食物摄入量。每次到实验室前，受试者需过夜禁食，此时通过开路间接量热法测量空腹静息代谢率（RMR）。然后在食用奶昔测试餐（能量含量为50%碳水化合物、15%蛋白质和35%脂肪）后3小时测量餐后代谢率。受试者在测试餐前后对食欲进行评分。
规律进餐模式和不规律进餐模式之间的体重和3天平均能量摄入没有显著差异。在不规律进餐期间，每天进食9餐时的平均能量摄入量显著高于进食6餐或3餐时（P = 0.0001）。规律进餐模式的三天之间没有显著差异。主观食欲测量显示，所有访视中测试餐前后没有显著差异。空腹RMR在整个实验过程中没有显著差异。不规律进餐模式后，测试餐后3小时的食物总体热效应（TEF）显著降低（P = 0.003）。
与规律进餐频率相比，不规律进餐频率导致餐后能量消耗降低，而两者之间的平均能量摄入没有显著差异。不规律进餐频率导致的TEF降低可能长期导致体重增加。
