Tip: Obese men likely to eat fewer meals

When it comes to weight control, you are what you eat. But if you're a middle-age man, a new study indicates you are how often you eat.

Swedish researchers, studying the eating habits of a group of men and women 47 to 68 years old, found that men who ate three or fewer meals a day were the ones most likely to be obese. Those who ate fewer meals were more likely to be heavy alcohol users, smokers and less likely to exercise. Those who ate more frequently tended to have a healthier diet overall, consuming a higher amount of fiber and carbohydrates. Snacks such as fresh fruit were considered meals. Surprisingly, researchers found that eating frequency and obesity "did not reach statistical significance among women."

The study was published in the British Journal of Nutrition.