Eating frequency, energy intake and body weight during a successful weight loss trial in overweight and obese postpartum women

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To examine associations among eating frequency, energy intake and body weight at baseline, as well as associations among change in eating frequency and change in energy intake and weight during a 12-week successful weight loss intervention in overweight and obese postpartum women. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Sixty-one Swedish women with pre-pregnancy body mass index of 25–35 kg/m 2 completed a 4-day diet record at 10–14 weeks postpartum (baseline) and 12 weeks later (post-intervention), which were used to calculate energy intake and eating frequency, that is, the mean number of intake occasions per day. RESULTS: The women had a mean eating frequency of 5.9±1.2 intake occasions at baseline. A positive association was found between eating frequency and energy intake at baseline ( β : 307±46 kcal, P