I has noticed that as spring arrives, many people have embarked on a new round of their "weight loss journey," with quite a few starting by either "skipping breakfast" or "skipping dinner."
Those in the "skip dinner" camp believe: by not eating dinner and going to bed hungry, then waking up the next day to a hearty breakfast, they're sure to lose weight!
Those in the "skip breakfast" camp believe: after having dinner the night before, heading straight to work or school in the morning, or sleeping until noon and having lunch as their first meal of the day, they're sure to lose weight!
The idea that "skipping a meal can lead to weight loss" might sound reasonable, but is it better to skip breakfast or dinner?
Today, I will clarify this for you.
"Skipping Breakfast vs. Skipping Dinner: The Difference in Fat Reduction is Not Significant."
In an article published in the prestigious medical journal "Cell," researchers conducted a controlled experiment with 30 healthy, obese individuals, divided into two groups [1].
Under conditions where daily calorie intake and total energy expenditure were largely the same:
- One group allocated 45% of their food intake to breakfast.
- The other group allocated a similar amount of calories to dinner.
After observing for about 8 weeks, it was found that the weight loss of both groups was almost identical.
In summary: whether we choose to skip breakfast or dinner, as long as the total calorie deficit remains unchanged, the difference in fat reduction is minimal.
This conclusion is also supported by a 16-week randomized controlled trial conducted by Dhurandhar and others on 309 overweight participants, where the group that skipped breakfast did not lose more weight than those who ate breakfast, when the total intake and expenditure remained constant [2].
While this might be a bit disappointing, most similar experiments have shown: whether you choose to "skip breakfast" or "skip dinner," as long as you control the overall intake and expenditure, you can achieve the goal of "thinner."
You might say: Ah? Is that all?
Wait! It's not over yet!
In this experiment, researchers also found that participants who consumed more in the morning had more stable appetites, felt fuller for longer, and had a reduced desire for food, which might help them better control their diet.
If you want to further stabilize your appetite, try to consume energy earlier in the day, achieving the goal of "eating well during the day, and not feeling hungry at night."
"Two Meals a Day vs. Multiple Meals a Day: To Lose Weight, You May Need to Cut Down on Snacking."
Many people also advocate for "eating less but more frequently," for the same reason: if the total daily calories remain the same, can I eat a little less each time and have more meals, eating when I'm hungry?
The ideal is promising, but the reality is...
In a 2019 experiment on the impact of meal frequency on health, low-frequency eating (1-2 times/day) was compared with high-frequency eating (5-6 times/day). The study found that those who ate more frequently had a significantly increased risk of disease and weight gain.
However, the authors also pointed out that there are many factors that can influence this outcome, such as calorie restriction per meal and meal timing...
The reason why high-frequency eating can lead to weight gain is that when meal times are not controlled and the frequency is high (in other words, eating whenever you want, several times a day), it becomes more difficult to control the total calorie intake. The result is only achieving "more meals" without "eating less."
On the contrary, low-frequency eating can more easily create a fasting window without restricting meal times, which reduces food stimulation, hunger, appetite, and regulates the gut microbiota.
So, if you want to increase the number of meals, it's best to combine this with restricted eating times:
If you don't want to eat less per meal, you can have three meals (or even more) within an 8-hour period. This "16+8 light fasting" approach does not limit the number of meals but creates a fasting window to regulate body hormones and total calorie intake, ultimately achieving weight loss.
"Healthy Eating, Regularity is Key."
Eat 3 meals within 8 hours and successfully lose weight? It's true, but there's one prerequisite.
Have you got the key points from this article?
Alright! Starting today, I'm not going to have dinner, nor will I have snacks or extra meals, and I'll wait to get slim after 8 weeks!
Don't rush!
Research also shows that:
If you maintain a high-frequency eating pattern for a long time and suddenly switch to a low-frequency or inconsistent pattern, this irregular eating pattern can increase hormones related to hunger and lead to metabolic disorders, and even the risk of weight gain.
In other words, if you have always maintained a high-frequency eating pattern of "several meals a day" and suddenly switch to a low-frequency diet (for example, only eating one meal a day), it's likely that not only will you not lose weight, but you may also gain weight, and it could even have a negative impact on your gastrointestinal function.
It's still recommended to start by reducing snacking, being satisfied with seven parts full for each meal, and gradually transition to a 16+8 or "one meal less" pattern. Pay more attention to your body's feedback during the process, supplement nutrition appropriately, and combine this with exercise for the best results.
So, after reading this, have you decided what to have for your next meal?
References
[1] Ruddick-Collins, L. C., Morgan, P. J., Fyfe, C. L., Filipe, J. A. N., Horgan, G. W., Westerterp, K. R., Johnston, J. D., & Johnstone, A. M. (2022). Timing of daily calorie loading affects appetite and hunger responses without changes in energy metabolism in healthy subjects with obesity. Cell metabolism, 34(10), 1472–1485.e6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2022.08.001
[2] Dhurandhar E.J., Dawson J., Alcorn A., Larsen L.H., Thomas E.A., Cardel M., Bourland A.C., Astrup A., St-Onge M.-P., Hill J.O., et al. The effectiveness of breakfast recommendations on weight loss: A randomized controlled trial. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2014;100:507–513. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.089573.
[3] Paoli, A., Tinsley, G., Bianco, A., & Moro, T. (2019). The Influence of Meal Frequency and Timing on Health in Humans: The Role of Fasting. Nutrients, 11(4), 719. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11040719
[4] Paoli A., Bosco G., Camporesi E.M., Mangar D. Ketosis, ketogenic diet and food intake control: A complex relationship. Front. Psychol. 2015;6:27. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00027.
[5] Alhussain M.H., Macdonald I.A., Taylor M.A. Irregular meal-pattern effects on energy expenditure, metabolism, and appetite regulation: A randomized controlled trial in healthy normal-weight women. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2016;104:21–32. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.115.125401.
[6] Alhussain, M. H., Macdonald, I. A., & Taylor, M. A. (2016). Irregular meal-pattern effects on energy expenditure, metabolism, and appetite regulation: a randomized controlled trial in healthy normal-weight women. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 104(1), 21–32. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.115.125401
[7] Bradley J., (2022). The idea that we should eat three meals a day is surprisingly modern. How many meals a day is best for our health? BBC Future.
[8] Maukonen M., Kanerva N., Partonen T., Kronholm E., Tapanainen H., Kontto J., Männistö S. Chronotype differences in timing of energy and macronutrient intakes: A population-based study in adults. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2017;25:608–615. doi: 10.1002/oby.21747.
