Children who eat frequently are less likely to be overweight, says a report published in Pediatrics.
Greek researchers studied 11 previous reports and found that children who eat more than three times a day have 22 percent less chances of being overweight compared to those who eat three or fewer meals.
Researchers at Harokopio University in Athens compiled observations from these previous studies based on 19,000 kids aged 2 to 19. They compared kids who ate frequent meals throughout the day with those who ate less.
The research came to the conclusion that kids who ate more often were less likely to be overweight. However, the researchers said that the result was more consistent in boys than girls.
The study justifies the theory that smaller meals throughout the day can help control weight gain. But, the research, did not find out the cause and effect of eating smaller meals throughout the day, said Alison Field, associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and a staff scientist at Boston Children's Hospital.
The reason for this, she explained, was that the researched 11 studies were conducted at one point and it was difficult to determine whether the eating habits of kids came before the extra pounds. For instance, some kids may be eating less because they became obese. Field was not a part of the study.
"You need studies where kids are followed over time to know which came first," Field said. And even then, it is difficult to state whether the frequency of eating is related to childhood obesity.
On a similar note, dietitian Connie Diekman said that the study "does not provide conclusive evidence." However, Diekman said that previous studies showed that consuming smaller meals helps in weight control.
"I view this study as one more piece in our understanding about meal frequency and weight, but not of itself an answer to, what do we tell consumers?" said Diekman.
