Frequent eating could lower cholesterol

CAMBRIDGE, England, Nov. 29 (UPI) -- A new study suggests that among middle aged and older people, eating more frequently throughout the day could help lower cholesterol levels.

Researchers at the Institute of Public Health at the University of Cambridge reviewed data on 14,666 men and women ages 45 to 75 who were questioned about their dietary habits. Study participants were asked how many times a day they ate, including light snacking such as a cup of coffee or a cookie. The group also had their cholesterol levels measured.

Study results showed low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels -- the so-called "bad cholesterol" that clogs arteries -- were about 5 percent lower in both men and women who at six or more times a day compared to folks who at only once or twice a day. This finding held true, researchers say, despite the frequent-eaters higher intake of calories, including fat, and also their body mass index, physical activity, and cigarette smoking habits.

Although this effect on cholesterol might be small, researchers point out that even the slightest drops in LDL can lead to a 10 percent to 21 percent reduction in heart disease risk. The findings are published in Friday's issue of British Medical Journal.

"We are not advocating eating more, but pointing out that our data support the hypothesis that the same food intake, spread out over several meals, may have different effects compared to if all eaten in one meal," researcher Kay-Tee Khaw, a professor of gerontology, told United Press International. "We saw this effect across the whole range of frequency of eating; that is, between 2 to 6 or more times a day, there was a continuous declining relationship with cholesterol levels, so even moving from 2 to 3 times a day or 3 to 4 times a day was associated with a reduction in cholesterol levels."

So how could eating the same number of calories normally consumed, but at smaller more frequent portions have an effect on cholesterol? Khaw said animal studies have indicated that animals fed large portions of food have greater spikes in their insulin and greater activation of enzymes involved in producing cholesterol. Animals that eat frequent, smaller amounts, Khaw said, have a steadier metabolism and fewer spikes in insulin levels or cholesterol production.

The "grazing" method of eating, consuming small, frequent meals or snacks throughout the day, has been questioned before for its potential health benefits, but Alice Lichtenstein, a professor of nutrition at Tufts University in Boston, and vice-chairwoman of the American Heart Association's nutrition committee, said the data is scarce.

"I don't think there's adequate information currently to recommend one type of eating pattern versus another," Lichtenstein told UPI. Dietary habits run the gamut, she said, and it's hard to know what might work for an individual.

However, given the holiday season when grazing on sweets and treats peaks, Lichtenstein said it's important to keep in mind that the calories from even small, frequent snacks and meals can quickly add up, and grazing can easily get out of hand. Fifty extra calories a day can add up to five pounds per year if those extra-consumed calories aren't countered with extra exercise. Given the fact that 55 percent of Americans are currently overweight or obese and that weight can play a role in cholesterol levels, those extra calories, Lichtenstein said, are "not insignificant."

(Reported by Katrina Woznicki in Washington)