IntroductionIn recent times, the complexity of food styles and meal content has increased, leading to significant variations in macronutrient composition between meals. This has coincided with a rise in obesity rates. ObjectiveTo determine if a larger variation in macronutrient composition between meals results in lower fat oxidation. MethodsA cross-over study was conducted on 13 healthy young male individuals using whole-body indirect calorimetry to test energy metabolic responses under three conditions: regular meals (R), high-carbohydrate breakfast (CB), or high-fat breakfast (FB), each with different macronutrient contents. R included three meals daily with the same macronutrient composition. CB included a high-carbohydrate meal at breakfast, a high-fat meal at lunch, and a high-carbohydrate meal at dinner. FB included a high-fat meal at breakfast, a high-carbohydrate meal at lunch, and a high-carbohydrate meal at dinner. The daily macronutrient compositions were similar across the three conditions, except CB and FB had larger variations in carbohydrate and fat balance between meals than R. The participants were tested in random order. ResultsThere were no significant differences in the measures of energy expenditure among the three conditions. However, after adjusting for the sleeping respiratory quotient (RQ) on the preceding day, the 24-hour RQ was lower under FB than under R (β=−0.0087, P=0.0077) or CB conditions (β=−0.0078, P=0.016). There was no difference in the magnitude of the 5-hour RQ change from lunch to dinner under the CB condition and in the magnitude of change from breakfast to lunch under the FB condition. ConclusionsA large variation in carbohydrate and fat balance between meals does not decrease daily fat oxidation. A FB may increase daily fat oxidation compared to a CB when the daily food quotient is equal, but this impact may not involve radical acceleration of fat oxidation.
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