MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Mireille Serlie, MD PhD Academic Medical Center University of Amsterdam Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism Amsterdam, The Netherlands MedicalResearch What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Serlie: We studied the effects of hypercaloric high sugar or high fat/high sugar drinks consumed with the 3 main meals (representing an increase in meal size) or in between the 3 main meals (representing an increase in meal frequency or snacking). All subjects gained a similar amount of body weight but only the ones that snacked showed an increase in liver and abdominal fat. This suggests that besides caloric content and diet composition, eating pattern independently contributes to liver and abdominal fat accumulation. We also observed a trend for a decrease in hepatic insulin sensitivity in the high fat/high sugar frequency group only. (more…)