Effect of feeding frequency on glucose and insulin metabolism and substrate partitioning

The recent escalating obesity trend in man is due to an imbalance between
energy intake and energy expenditure. Energy intake is influenced by the effect
of food*s energy density, total energy content and feeding frequency and the
extent to which these alter satiety. Of these factors, feeding frequency has
received least attention. Epidemiological evidence in human subjects indicates
increasing trends in recent years of dietary snacking and increased meal
frequency and such studies show positive relationships between snacking and
increased energy intake and BMI, illustrating the potential importance of
investigating feeding frequency.

The presently proposed study aims to investigate the effect of feeding
frequency on glucose and insulin metabolism and substrate partitioning.

This study is a randomized, controlled crossover study with 1 group of 14
healthy male volunteers. Subjects are exposed to two different diets. To have a
same baseline condition before each diet, subjects have to standardize the diet
and activity over the 3 days before the tests. Therefore food-intake and
activity diaries have to be filled out before the first test day and repeated
exactly similar before other test days. Each respiration chamber visit starts
after the continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) placement plus
preparation time at 21.00h and ends 36 hours later at 9.00h. The first twelve
hours are to accustom to the respiration chamber. Then, energy expenditure
measurements are made during 24 hours at a temperature of 22°C. During the test
satiety questionnaires have to be filled in. Also bloodsamples will be taken at
baseline and after a half hour and then hourly.

1. high feeding frequency (14 meals a day)
2. low feeding frequency (3 meals a day)

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