Snacking Between Meals Can Be Healthy, But It Often Slows Weight Loss

Postmenopausal women on a diet who snacked between breakfast and lunch lost significantly less weight than women who avoided snacks, a randomized U.S. clinical study has found. Researchers found in the year-long study that mid-morning snackers lost an average of seven  percent of their total body weight. But those who ate a healthy breakfast and did not snack before lunch lost more than 11 percent of their body weight. The researchers said snacks can be a source of additional fruits, vegetables, and fiber-rich foods, but “snacking patterns might also reflect unhealthy eating habits and impede weight-loss progress.” They suggested that future studies should focus on the impact of such factors as timing, frequency, and quality of snacks on weight loss.