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Intermittent Fasting, Grazing, or OMAD? Science Says Meal Frequency Has No Impact on Appetite or Overall Health
What’s important is whether an eating regimen works for you
EXPERT OPINION BY JEFF HADEN @JEFF_HADEN
Sep 2, 2026
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A friend swears by intermittent fasting. His meal window opens at noon and closes at 6 p.m. He’s convinced it helps him burn more fat and keep his weight down
Another friend eats a number of small meals throughout the day. She’s convinced it helps her keep her weight down by boosting her metabolism and controlling her hunger. (“I’m less likely to overeat when I know another meal is just around the corner,” she says.)
Oddly enough, both are right
And also wrong
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According to a study published in the Journal of <a href="https://healthylife7.com/can-flavors-keep-driving-archer-daniels-human-nutrition-growth/” title=”Can Flavors Keep Driving Archer Daniels' Human Nutrition Growth?”>Nutrition, meal frequency has no impact on appetite. Participants were placed in two groups: Both consumed the same number of calories and macronutrients, but one group got it in three meals, the other spread across six. Then the groups swapped eating patterns
With no difference in results
Meal frequency also had no impact on ghrelin, the hunger hormone that increases appetite and food intake, or on leptin, the hormone that signals fullness and suppresses appetite. (In broader health terms, meal frequency also had no impact on inflammation: Chronic inflammation can contribute to various health problems including heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.)
