Eating meals irregularly as a novel risk factor for metabolic syndrome
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The aim of this study was to assess the association of eating meals regularly with parameters of the metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in a population-based cohort study. A total of 3,607 subjects of both sexes aged 60 years from Stockholm County participated in the study, data being collected via a questionnaire and a medical examination including laboratory tests. Among regular eaters, 20% fulfilled the criteria for the metabolic syndrome versus 27% among irregular eaters. Using subjects who did not meet any of the criteria for the metabolic syndrome as reference group, the adjusted odds ratio for having the greatest number of components of the metabolic syndrome in regular eaters was 0.27. After full adjustment, eating meals regularly was inversely related to insulin resistance and to serum concentrations of gamma-glutamyl transferase. Based on these findings, the authors suggest that eating meals irregularly may be part of several novel potential environmental risk factors that are associated with the metabolic syndrome.
Abstract
