Eating frequently may lower blood cholesterol
12 December 2001
Eating 6 times a day or more may result in lower blood cholesterol concentrations.
Researchers from the UK's University of Cambridge studied the eating habits of more than 14,000 men and women aged 45-75 years.
They reported in the British Medical Journal (2001;323:1286-8) that cholesterol concentrations were about 5% lower in those who ate 6 or more times a day compared with those who ate once or twice a day - despite higher intakes of energy, including fat, in the frequent eaters.
'Concentrations of total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the so-called 'bad' cholesterol) are negatively and consistently associated with frequency of eating,' they concluded.
'We need to consider not just what we eat, but how often we eat.'
Last Reviewed: 12 December 2001
- Medical Observer Weekly 7 December 2001
