Meal Frequency and Multi-Morbidity in a Cypriot Population: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Data regarding the effect of specific dietary behaviors, such as meal frequency, on multi-morbidity are scarce. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the effect of meal frequency on multi-morbidity in a Cypriot population. A representative sample of 1255 adults >18 years old was surveyed during 2022–2023. Data regarding sociodemographic characteristics, multi-morbidity, and meal frequency consumption were collected through validated questionnaires. Diseases were listed according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision [ICD-10]. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS Statistics v.19.0. Responders who consumed more than three meals and snacks daily had a higher probability of multi-morbidity [OR: 1.505 [95% CI: 1.505–2.069]] compared with those who consumed three or fewer meals and snacks daily. The relation was not statistically significant after adjusting for age and gender and for socioeconomic characteristics. Furthermore, participants who consumed more than three snacks per day had a 1.776 [AOR: 1.616 [95% CI: 1.054–2.476]] higher risk of having multi-morbidity compared with participants who did not consume any snack or consumed one snack per day. The findings suggest that people with multi-morbidity have a higher risk when consuming three or more snacks per day regardless of age, gender, and socioeconomic characteristics.