Effect of altered feeding patterns on serum lipids and lipoproteins in adult males

Effects of a three meal per day versus a six meal per day feeding pattern on selected serum lipids and lipoproteins in 17 males were examined. After a two week acclimatization period, subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Each group followed a three meal per day pattern for six weeks and a six meal per day pattern for another six weeks. Serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels were not significantly affected by the altered feeding patterns. There was a significant decrease in the triglyceride levels of one group, but not the other, during the six meal per day pattern. For both groups the HDL-cholesterol levels differed significantly (P≤0.05) between the two feeding patterns. However, the findings were dissimilar in that for one group the HDL-cholesterol was higher after the six meal per day pattern and, for the other group, the opposite was true. Only during Phase I, the acclimatization period when both groups were consuming three meals per day, were any significant differences in dietary intakes noticed. Specifically, subjects in Group I consumed significantly more total fat and saturated fat (P=0.01 and P=0.04, respectively). Throughout the study there were no significant differences between the two groups relative to polyunsaturated to saturated fat (P/S) ratios of the diets.