Meal showdown: 3 meals vs 5 meals for diabetes control

NCT ID NCT04127994

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutricion Salvador Zubiran Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study looked at whether eating 3 low-calorie meals a day is better than 5 small meals for blood sugar control and weight loss in people with type 2 diabetes who are overweight or obese. Fifty adults aged 40-70 followed one of the two meal plans for 11 weeks. Researchers measured blood sugar swings, weight, and other health markers to see which pattern works best.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: low-calorie diet (3 meals vs 5 meals)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could show that eating fewer meals per day helps people with type 2 diabetes better control blood sugar and lose weight.
What could go wrong: This is a small, completed study with only 50 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The difference between meal patterns may be small or not meaningful.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Obesity obesity disorder Overweight type 2 diabetes mellitus

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

DIABETES MELLITUS, TYPE 2 MEAL TIME OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY

Contacts and locations

Locations

Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán ''INCMNSZ''

Mexico City, Mexico City, 14080, Mexico

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