Eating 5 times a day limits the risk of obesity in teens

Eating five times a day could be a new strategy to limit obesity in at-risk adolescents. According to a study published in PloS One, Finnish researchers found that eating three meals plus two snacks per day could reduce the risk of obesity induced by genetic factors.
To find out, researchers at the University of Eastern Finland assessed eating habits, body mass index (BMI) and genetic risk factors for obesity in more than 46,000 Finnish adolescents.
Aged 16, these young people had a clinical examination, which allowed their BMI to be calculated, and their blood was drawn for DNA extraction. They also filled out a questionnaire on their health behaviors with a question about the frequency of meals: breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, evening snack … From the DNA samples, the researchers verified whether the participants had eight genetic variants associated with an increased risk of obesity.

Minimized genetic risk factors

Result: the average BMI of these adolescents was 21.2 kg / m2. The researchers found that adolescents with a high genetic risk score (eight or more risk variants) had an average BMI of 0.7 kg / m2 higher than those with a low genetic risk score (less than eight risk variants). risk).
And when the researchers looked at participants with different meal patterns separately, they found that the effect of genetic risk factors was less in those who ate five meals a day (first group). In these adolescents, each additional risk genetic variant was associated with a 0.15 kg / m2 increase in BMI, compared to an increase of 0.27 kg / m2 in those who ate less than five meals per day.
For an adolescent who is 1.70 m tall, this means that each additional risk genetic variant was associated with an increase of 0.43 kg for those in the first group, compared with an increase of 0.78 kg for those in the first group. other group.

Should we reintroduce snacks at school?
The study authors therefore estimate that eating five meals a day regularly reduces the impact of genetic risk factors in adolescents. Promoting regular eating habits would be an effective obesity prevention strategy.
In France, the school snack has practically disappeared. However, this study does not really call into question the strategy adopted. Indeed, if since 2004, the snack is no longer compulsory in schools, the instructions given were not the outright elimination of this little snack. On the other hand, schools which decide to maintain it must offer it to pupils upon their arrival at nursery or elementary school and, in any case, at least two hours before lunch. In addition, energy-dense products rich in sugar and fat should be banned.