The effect of meal frequency on body composition of adults

This research was done in order to investigate the effects of meal frequency on body composition with the use of various parameters. The participants of this research are 300 people (74 men and 226 women), who have not been on an active diet for at least 6 months, who have not been in maternity period or lactating. The ages of the participants varied from 18 to 65 and the research was done between January 2010 and December 2010. The surveys were filled with face-to-face question asking technique. Moreover all the anthropometric measurements of the participants were recorded and added to these surveys. Afterwards, all the participants were required to record two week days and one weekend day meal consumption in order to determine their meal frequency. The participants recorded the time they started eating and finished eating. These time measurement and the energy consumption of the participants in these forms were calculated by the researcher in order to determine the meal frequency. The researcher accepted the cases where eating time >15 minutes and energy consumption >209 kj (~50 cal) as a meal and calculated the number of meals consumed by the participants in one day. All the information extracted from the research were evaluated by ?SPSS 11.5? statistics package program on Windows. The average age of the participants of this research is 36.6±11.1 years. The average BMI of the participants were measured as 26±4.6 kg/m². When the waist circumference of the participants were observed, it was realized that %54.1 of the men?s waist circumference is under 94 cm and %45.9 of the men?s waist circumference is over 94 cm. In addition to that, it was realized that %42.9 of women participants? waist circumference is under 80 cm and %57.1 of the women?s waist circumference is over 80 cm. When the body fat percentages of the participants were observed, it was found by the researcher that, %16.2 of the men participants? average body fat percentage is under %25 and %83.3 of the men?s average body fat percentage is over %25. In addition to that, when the body fat percentages of women are studied, it was observed that %40.7 of women participants? average body fat percentage is under %32 and %57.1 of the women?s average body fat percentage is over %32. The average number of meal consumed by the participants were defined as 4±1.1 per day. A negative relation between average number of meals consumed and body mass, BMI, waist circumference, fat body mass, lean body mass (p<0.001). The difference between classification of BMI and average number of meals consumed is determined as statistically important by the researcher (p<0.001). The negative relation between average number of meals consumed and energy consumed, total body fat, saturated fatty acid and mono unsaturated fatty acid intake is founded (p<0.05). The difference between alcohol consumption, type of alcohol consumed, lifestyle and classified activity situation and body fat mass of the participants is detected as important by the researcher (p<0.05). Moreover, the difference between the gender, alcohol consumption, lifestyle and classified activity situation and body fat mass is determined as important by the researcher (p<0.05). A positive relation between average number of meal consumed and fiber and water intake was found. In addition to that, a positive relation between thiamine, niacin, biotin, pantotenic acid, folic acid, vitamin B6 and C among vitamins and calcium, magnesium, phosphate, copper and manganese among minerals was found as important (p<0.05). On the other hand, a negative and important relation between sodium, chlorine and table salt (NaCl) and average number of meal frequency was determined. In this research, a positive relation between the scores extracted from Beck Depression Inventory and Dutch Emotional Behavior Questionnaire and BMI was determined by the researcher.Key Words : Obesity, meal frequency, body mass index, nutrition status