For white people, eating the biggest meal at lunch seems to help prevent weight gain more than it does for Black people — suggesting that the same eating pattern might not work the same way for everyone.

Scientific Claim

In a cohort of 50,660 North American adults aged 30 and older, the association between eating lunch as the largest meal and reduced BMI gain is significantly stronger in nonblack participants than in black participants, indicating a potential racial difference in how meal timing affects weight regulation.

Original Statement

“A borderline significant interaction was observed between eating the largest meal at lunch and race on the change in BMI (P = 0.07). Eating lunch as the largest meal of the day was associated with a relative decrease in BMI only in nonblack subjects.”

From study:Meal Frequency and Timing Are Associated with Changes in Body Mass Index in Adventist Health Study 2.

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

association

Can only show association/correlation

Assessment Explanation

The study correctly reports an interaction effect with appropriate statistical language ('borderline significant', 'only in nonblack subjects'). No causal language is used, and the limitation of subgroup analysis is acknowledged.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (0)

No supporting evidence found

Contradicting (1)

Meal Frequency and Timing Are Associated with Changes in Body Mass Index in Adventist Health Study 2.

Cohort Study

Human

2017 Sep

The study found that eating lunch as your biggest meal might help prevent weight gain, but it didn’t look at whether this effect is different for Black people versus non-Black people, so we can’t say the claim is true.

Source Study

Meal Frequency and Timing Are Associated with Changes in Body Mass Index in Adventist Health Study 2.

Score: 67

DOI: 10.3945/jn.116.244749

Similar Assertions

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The healthiest pattern for avoiding weight gain seems to be eating just two meals — breakfast and lunch — with a few hours between them, and then not eating again until the next morning.

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