In France, people traditionally eat 3 to 4 times a day: breakfast, lunch, snack (not every day and not all adults, but definitely children do eat snack once a day around 4pm) and dinner. People usually don’t snack and for sure they don’t eat each and every time they provide a physical or intellectual effort.
Of course some people work on shifted jobs or have health conditions. And these are general rules and they can manage them on their special circumstances. But eating only 3 or 4 times a day as a regular schedule makes them eat consistent meals during those times, which helps them reduce cravings as well as overeating by eating mindlessly.
This photo shows my point: in front of this restaurant (in a touristic street of Paris), they specify that they operate on “continuous service”, meaning that you can eat there anytime. This is so unusual that they feel the need to say it out loud! Usually even restaurants in France only work from noon to 2 pm and from 7:30 to 11 pm.
There are many fad diets out there that recommend specific hours for eating: either fasting for so many hours then eating during a given time window or eating as often as possible… Eating breakfast, lunch and dinner (and maybe one snack a day) may sound old fashion but I believe that it helps French people to avoid regular cravings and overeating.