The “one meal a day” (or “OMAD”) diet is a more extreme version of other types of fasting diets, such as intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating.
The main difference is that instead of only fasting on certain days or eating your meals during a set period of time, people who follow OMAD eat all of their daily calories in one large meal.
But while OMAD proponents say following this diet improves many aspects of health, we actually know very little about the effect of eating just one meal a day on the body – let alone whether it is safe.
Very few studies have looked into the effectiveness of OMAD, most of which were conducted on animals.
One study found that several different types of fasting (including intermittent fasting and all-day fasting) can improve several aspects of metabolism, including blood sugar and cholesterol levels, reduce levels of inflammation and help people better regulate their appetite. This, in turn, may help reduce the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Now, a study has been conducted on the effect of OMAD in humans, where participants ate calories in one meal, before switching and eating their daily calories split into three meals a day.
Follow each meal pattern for only 11 days. Only 11 participants completed the study.
When participants ate just one meal a day, they saw a greater reduction in body weight and fat mass. However, participants also had greater reductions in lean mass and bone density.
This may lead to decreased muscle function and increased risk of bone fractures if the diet is followed for a longer period.
It will be important for future studies to investigate the effect of OMAD on a larger number of participants and in other groups of people.
You should also find out if meal timing can improve results further.
If someone eats only one meal a day, it will be very difficult for them to meet all their nutritional requirements, especially with regard to energy, protein, fibre, and essential vitamins and minerals, leading to the risk of constipation and poor gut health.
2023-09-25 04:27:48
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