There have been a number of articles recently suggesting that weight loss can be promoted by having your main meals at specific times in the day. According to a number of reports including one from the Daily Mail, you should have a large meal at lunchtime and a small meal in the evening to have the best chance of staying trim or slimming down. However, this report is unfounded – the suggestion in the article is not backed up by the research.
The study that the Daily Mail based their story on involved mice. The study found that normal mice were less ‘sensitive’ to insulin later in their day. On a basic level this could be translated into the idea that they should eat less food in this time.
However, mice that were genetically engineered to not have a body clock did not show any of the same patterns of sensitivity to insulin. These mice, engineered to have no clock, also gained more body fat when fed an identical high fat diet to the normal mice. While this can show how people’s body clocks work and how they may have a role in conditions such as obesity or diabetes, it’s difficult to argue that it says much more than that.
The Daily Mail’s argument is a gross overstatement that sensationalises the truth to suit a nice way of thinking. Based on this study alone it would not be possible to say what the ideal size or time of your main meal of the day should be. As usual, the best advice remains that you should maintain a healthy diet and get regular exercise if you want to lose weight. Unfortunately articles like those in the Daily Mail actually hinder the process by giving people unrealistic expectations.
Comments are closed.