Background:

Increasing meal frequency is commonly used in the clinical practice as part of the nutritional treatment of patients with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM2), although its effect on metabolic control parameters is controversial.

Aim:

To evaluate the association of energy intake, meal frequency, and amount of carbohydrates with fasting plasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin in a group of patients with DM2 without insulin therapy.

Material and Methods:

Dietary intake was evaluated in 60 subjects with DM2 through three-day food records. The meal frequency was estimated establishing the main meal times considering snacks.

Results:

Meal frequency was 4.7 ± 1.1 times per day. There was a positive association between glycosylated and fasting blood glucose levels (p <0.01). Meal frequency was associated with energy intake (p <0.01). When meal frequency, available carbohydrates and energy intake, body mass index and fasting plasma glucose were analyzed in a multiple linear regression model, fasting blood glucose was the variable that best predicted changes in glycosylated hemoglobin (45.5%). Meal frequency had no association with glycosylated hemoglobin.

Conclusions:

Meal frequency showed no association with metabolic control parameters in DM2 patients.