Men who eat only three meals or fewer a day are more than twice as likely to be obese compared to men who snack and eat more often, even when they eat the same total amount of food.
Scientific Claim
In middle-aged men (aged 47–68), a daily eating frequency of three or fewer meals is associated with a 2.42-fold higher likelihood of obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) compared to those eating six or more meals per day, even after adjusting for total energy intake, lifestyle, and dietary factors, suggesting meal frequency may be a behavioral marker of metabolic risk.
Original Statement
“Eating three or fewer meals per d was also associated with increased likelihood of general and central obesity in men when adjusting for total energy intake, lifestyle and dietary factors.”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
overstated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
association
Can only show association/correlation
Assessment Explanation
The study is cross-sectional and observational, so it cannot establish causation. The term 'increased likelihood' is probabilistic but the abstract uses 'reduced likelihood of obesity' which implies directionality without proof of causation.
More Accurate Statement
“In middle-aged men (aged 47–68), a daily eating frequency of three or fewer meals is associated with a higher likelihood of obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) compared to those eating six or more meals per day, even after adjusting for total energy intake, lifestyle, and dietary factors.”
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
This study found that men who eat only three meals or fewer a day are more likely to be overweight or have extra belly fat than those who eat six or more meals, even when they eat the same total amount of food—suggesting how often you eat might matter for your health.