Women dieters who grab a snack between breakfast and lunch lose less weight compared to those who abstain from a mid-morning snack, according to a study.

In the course of the year-long study, the researchers found that mid-morning snackers lost an average of 7% of their total body weight while those who ate a healthy breakfast but did not snack before lunch lost more than 11% of their body weight. For the study, a snack was defined as any food or drink that was consumed between main meals.

"We think this finding may not relate necessarily to the time of day [someone] snacks, but rather to the short interval between breakfast and lunch," said the study's corresponding author, Anne McTiernan, MD, PhD, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. "Mid-morning snacking therefore might be a reflection of recreational or mindless eating habits rather than eating to satisfy true hunger."

While snacking too close to a main meal may be detrimental to weight loss, waiting too long between meals also may sabotage dieting efforts, she said.

"Snacking could be part of a dieter's toolkit if they're eating in response to true hunger," McTiernan said. "Individuals should determine if they experience long intervals, such as more than five hours, between meals. Adding a snack might help people deal better with hunger and ultimately help them to make more sound choices at their next meal."

The study also revealed that women who reported eating more than two snacks a day had higher fiber intake than those who snacked less frequently, and afternoon nibblers ate more fruits and vegetables compared to women who did not snack between lunch and dinner.

The study was part of a larger randomized clinical trial designed to test the effects of nutrition and exercise on breast cancer risk. At the end of the study the women were asked to record the time, type and frequency of meals consumed on a normal day. Percent of calories from fat, fiber and fruit and vegetable intake were also estimated using a food-frequency questionnaire.

"Many people think that a weight-loss program has to mean always feeling hungry," McTiernan said. "Our study suggests that snacking may actually help with weight loss if not done too close to another meal, particularly if the snacks are healthy foods that can help you feel full without adding too many calories."

For a woman on a weight-loss diet, a healthy snack should pack a nutritional wallop without breaking the calorie bank: "Since women on a weight-loss program only have a limited number of calories to spend each day, it is important for them to incorporate nutrient-dense foods that are no more than 200 calories per serving," McTiernan said. "The best snacks for a weight-loss program are proteins such as low-fat yogurt, string cheese or a small handful of nuts; non-starchy vegetables; fresh fruits; whole-grain crackers; and non-calorie beverages such as water, coffee and tea."

The National Cancer Institute funded the research and participated in the study, which also involved investigators from the University of Washington and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

The study appears in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. To read a summary and access the study via subscription or purchase, visit http://bit.ly/t5FaXy.