Eating fewer meals may outperform fasting for weight loss, according to a new study.

 When compared to intermittent fasting, eating fewer calories and eating fewer meals has proven to be a better approach to losing weight.

According to a recent study, the number of calories you consume is more important for weight control than the time you spend eating.

According to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, decreasing calories and eating fewer larger meals may be a more successful weight control technique than intermittent fasting, in which a person cycles between brief periods of little or no eating and normal eating.

Researchers examined the electronic health records of approximately 550 adults for the study and discovered that the total daily number of large meals (estimated at more than 1,000 calories) and medium meals (estimated at 500 to 1,000 calories) were both associated with increased weight gain over a six-year follow-up period, whereas eating fewer small meals (estimated at less than 500 calories) was associated with decreased weight.

They also discovered that the time interval between the first and last meal was unrelated to the weight change.

According to Chika V. Anekwe, MD, an obesity medicine physician at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, who was not involved in the study, the new study backs up well-established research demonstrating that the total amount of calories you eat matters more than the timing of when you eat.

However, Dr. Anekwe pointed out that intermittent fasting has numerous other advantages, including improved longevity and blood sugar control.

"Restricting the time interval of food intake naturally encourages certain people to eat less overall, therefore for some people, it can play a part in weight loss," she explains. "However, if someone prefers to consume more during the fasting window than they would if they spread their food intake out over a longer time period, weight reduction is not expected."

Some people who fast may believe they don't have to worry about how much they eat. That, however, is not the case. "Fasting can sometimes lead to a 'all or nothing' mentality," explains Julia Zumpano, RD, of Cleveland Clinic's Center for Human Nutrition. "For example, 'I haven't eaten all day, therefore I'm going to eat whatever and whatever much I want.' As clinicians, we may assist our patients by recommending a plan for healthful meals and snacks that are evenly spread throughout the day."

The findings could not prove direct cause and effect that meal frequency and total calorie intake were stronger risk factors for weight change than meal timing, according to lead study author Di Zhao, Ph.D., an associate scientist in the division of cardiovascular and clinical epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.

Approximately 8 out of 10 participants in the survey identified as white adults, 12 percent as Black adults, and approximately 3 percent as Asian adults. The majority of participants had a college education or above; the average age was 51 years; and the average BMI was 30.8, which is considered obese.

The researchers used a mobile app called Daily24 to track participants' sleeping, eating, and waking hours.

"The primary message for the general population is that the total amount of energy [food] intake is more important in body weight than the exact timing of that intake," Anekwe added. "However, it is still suggested to focus on the quality of food consumption rather than quantity for health and weight management. As a general rule, limiting processed foods and added sugars is beneficial for keeping a healthy weight."