Skipping Meals Is Bad For Your Health

A recent study in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry shows that skipping meals can increase a person’s belly fat.

While some could believe that skipping a meal can lead to weight loss, the reality is that human bodies don’t metabolize and store food in a way that would accommodate that type of diet.

“Lending scientific credence to the consistent message of many dietitians/nutritionists across the country, this study found that skipping meals can actually lead to weight gain,” said Christine Santori, RD, program manager at the Center for Weight Management at Syosset Hospital.

This study involved mice and their eating habits; in this study, not only did the mice’s belly fat increase but they also became insulin resistant.

“Specifically, this study found that by restricting mice to one meal per day, which forced them to load their calories into one sitting, they developed insulin resistance, which is a sign of pre-diabetes,” Ms. Santori said. “In addition, when these mice gained weight back, they did so in the mid-section – belly fat -- which is much more dangerous, leading to increased risk. This study only looked at mice, but does provide some confirmation that starvation-type diets can push the body to rapidly store fat when food is available and does so in areas that increase one’s risk of serious disease.”