No effect of high eating frequency compared to low eating frequency on appetite and inflammation biomarkers: results from a randomized cross-over clinical trial

Abstract

BackgroundEating frequency (EF) focuses on the total number of eating occasions per day and may influence metabolic health. ObjectiveWe sought to examine the effect of high vs. low EF on appetite regulation and inflammatory biomarkers among healthy adults. MethodsData are from a randomized, cross-over trial (the Frequency of Eating and Satiety Hormones (FRESH) Study). Participants (n=50) completed two isocaloric 21-day study periods of low EF (three eating occasions/day) and high EF (six eating occasions/day) in random order with a 14-day wash-out period in-between. Participants were free-living and consumed their own food, using study-directed, structured meal plans with identical foods and total energy in both study periods. On days 1 and 21 of each EF period, fasting blood was collected during in-person clinic visits to assess plasma concentrations of ghrelin, leptin, adiponectin, and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Linear mixed models with EF, diet order, and period as fixed effects; and participant as random effect estimated the intervention effect. Interaction effects between EF and % body fat were examined. ResultsAmong the 50 participants who completed the trial, 39 (78%) were women, 30 (60%) were Non-Hispanic White, 40 (80%) had a BMI<25 kg/m2, and the mean age was 32.1years. The differences between high vs. low EF in fasting ghrelin (geometric mean difference: 17.76 ng/ml, p=0.60), leptin (geometric mean difference: 2.09 ng/ml, p=0.14), adiponectin (geometric mean difference: 381.7 ng/ml, p=0.32), and hs-CRP (geometric mean difference: -0.018 mg/dl, p=0.08) were not statistically significant. No EF x % body fat interaction was observed on appetite regulation and inflammatory biomarkers. ConclusionsNo differences was observed in fasting ghrelin, leptin, adiponectin, and hs-CRP, comparing high vs. low EF. Future studies are needed to understand the physiology of eating frequency and appetite as they relate to metabolic health.