Grazing vs. meals: which keeps you from overeating?
NCT ID NCT01731522
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study looked at whether eating three meals a day or grazing (eating small amounts every 2-3 hours) changes how much people eat at an evening meal and their total daily calorie intake. Twenty healthy adults aged 18-35 with normal weight tried both eating patterns. Researchers measured food intake at a dinner meal and overall energy balance to see if grazing leads to less eating later.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could help understand how meal timing affects appetite and calorie intake, potentially guiding weight management advice.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 20 healthy participants, so results may not apply to the general population or lead to clear recommendations.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 20 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Dec 2012
- Finished
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Dec 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 35 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * age between 18 and 35 years * body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2 * no history of overweight or obesity * unrestrained eater (\<12 on Three Factor Eating Questionnaire \[TFEQ\]) * regularly participate in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intense physical activity per week over the previous 4 weeks Exclusion Criteria: * currently taking medication that affects appetite or food intake * have a medical condition affecting eating or currently following a therapeutic diet * are currently participating in a weight loss program and/or taking weight loss medication * have gained or lost \> 5% of body weight during the past 6 months * diagnosed with type 1 or 2 diabetes * have had bariatric surgery * report disliking foods used in the investigation (scoring a 1 or 2 on a 5-point Likert scale) * report having allergies to foods used in the investigation * currently smoke * report binge eating * are graduate students in the Department of Nutrition * are pregnant, lactating, \< 6 months post-partum.
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Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996-1920, United States