A simple eating habit can make healthy choices more automatic, according to researchers.
Simplifying your diet by eating the same meals regularly and keeping your calorie intake consistent can help you lose weight. One study found that people who followed a predictable eating regimen for 12 weeks lost more weight than those who ate a wider variety of foods.
Study leader Dr. Charlotte Hagerman from the Oregon Research Institute (USA), emphasized that maintaining a healthy diet in today's food environment requires constant effort and self-control. According to her, creating eating routines can facilitate this process and make healthy choices more natural.
The study involved 112 overweight or obese adults who were asked to keep detailed food diaries. They recorded everything they ate via a phone app and weighed themselves daily.
The researchers analyzed how structured each participant's diet was, focusing on calorie consistency and meal repetition (how often the same foods or meals were consumed).
The results showed that those who frequently consumed the same foods lost an average of 5.9% of their body weight, while those with a more varied diet lost about 4.3%.
Maintaining a healthy weight significantly reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some types of cancer.
However, the researchers stressed that the study does not directly prove that consistent eating habits are the main reason for greater weight loss. However, the findings suggest that simplifying food choices and maintaining a consistent calorie level can help create healthier habits.
Dr. Hagerman added that in a healthier food environment, greater dietary variety would be advisable. But, she said, today's reality makes this more difficult, so a more consistent diet could help people make better choices in a sustainable way, although it may come at the cost of a more limited food variety.
The study findings have been published in the scientific journal Health Psychology. /GazetaExpress/
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