Controlled meal frequency without caloric restriction alters peripheral blood mononuclear cell cytokine production

2011

Meal Frequency and Immune Response

Sample size: 15 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Vishwa Dixit, Hyunwon Yang, Sayeed Khaleel S, Kim S Stote, William V Rumpler, David J Baer, Dan L Longo, Mark P Mattson, Dennis D Taub

Primary Institution: National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health

Does controlled meal frequency without caloric restriction affect cytokine production in humans?

The study found that meal frequency does not significantly alter the basal inflammatory state in healthy individuals.

Subjects on one meal per day (OMD) produced lower levels of certain inflammatory cytokines compared to those on three meals per day (TMD).
The study used a crossover design to compare the effects of meal frequency on immune responses.
No significant differences in serum inflammatory markers were found between OMD and TMD diets.

Eating one big meal a day instead of three smaller meals doesn't change how our immune system works much.

Healthy subjects were maintained on two different meal frequency diets for two months each, with blood samples analyzed for cytokine levels.

Potential biases due to self-selection of participants and withdrawal of subjects during the study.

The study had a small sample size and was limited to healthy, normal weight individuals.

Healthy normal weight middle-aged males and females, aged 40-50 years.

p<0.05

p<0.05

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