Fat consumption is the only cause of weight gain!
Fat consumption is the only cause of weight gain! ‘Unequivocal’ data reveals protein and carbs are not responsible for a bulging waistline
- Fat, protein and carbs have shared the blame for obesity levels in recent years
- But trials on mice pinpoints fat as the problem – and lets the others off the hook
- Mice fed fat-heavy diets consumed the most calories, researchers discovered
Stephen Matthews For Mailonline
13
View
comments
Eating lots of fatty foods is the only cause of weight gain – not feasting on carbs, research suggests.
Scientists have scratched their heads for years as to whether fat, protein or carbs were the culprit for bulging waistlines.
But ‘unequivocal’ trials on mice pinpoints fat as the problem – and lets commonly-thought offenders such as carbs and protein off the hook.
Mice fed fat-heavy diets consumed the most calories because fat stimulated the reward centres in their brains, scientists found.
Scientists have scratched their heads for years as to whether fat, protein or carbs were the cause of bulging waistlines – but fatty foods have now been shamed as the culprit
Researchers at Aberdeen University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences led the rodent study, considered the largest of its kind.
A major drawback in conducting human studies on the effects of diets is time, as most don’t last long enough to draw concrete conclusions.
However, studies on animals that are genetically similar, such as mice, could help point researchers in the right direction.
-
Stop binge-watching Netflix, go for more walks and ditch…
Woman, 29, has dangling, overgrown lumps of scar tissue…
The children destined to die, turn blind or fight a lifetime…
Cancer survivor, 55, who was robbed of a nose, cheek and eye…
Professor John Speakman, who led the study, said the new findings offer a ‘good clue’ as to what the different diets may do to humans.
A total of 30 different diets were given to mice over a period of three months – the equivalent of nine human years.
Each varied in their fat, carbohydrate (sugar) and protein content.
More than 100,000 measurements of body weight changes of mice were made, including a micro MRI machine to assess body fat.
HOW HAVE OPINIONS CHANGED ON FAT BEING THE CAUSE OF OBESITY OVER TIME?
During the 1980s and 1990s, it was widely accepted that the most important factor in weight gain is the fat content of our diets.
However, in the new millennium it was suggested this focus on fat was misplaced, and the main factor driving obesity was refined carbs.
Several hugely popular books were published in this period suggesting that eating fat might actually protect us from obesity.
Most recently, however, attention has turned to protein, with the hypothesis that people eat food mostly to obtain protein rather than energy.
According to this idea, when the protein content falls, humans eat more to meet the target protein intake – causing them to consume too many calories.
Professor Speakman said: ‘The result of this enormous study was unequivocal – the only thing that made the mice get fat was eating more fat in their diets.
‘These effects of dietary fat seemed to be because uniquely fat in the diet stimulated the reward centres in the brain, stimulating greater intake.’
Mice fed carb-loaded diets, including up to 30 per cent of their calories coming from sugar, gained no significant weight.
And combining sugar with fat had no more impact than fat alone, revealed the study, published in Cell Metabolism.
Professor Speakman and colleagues also debunked a widely-held belief that low protein diets can stimulate a greater intake of food.
They uncovered ‘no evidence’ that diets based on low protein, slashed to five per cent of calories, encouraged mice to eat more.
Professor Speakman said: ‘We are never going to do studies where the diets of humans are controlled in the same way for such long periods. So the evidence it provides is a good clue to what the effects of different diets are likely to be in humans.’
During the 1980s and 1990s, it was widely accepted that the most important factor in weight gain is the fat content of our diets.
However, at the turn of the century it was suggested this focus on fat was misplaced, and the main factor driving obesity was refined carbs.
Several hugely popular books were published in this period suggesting that eating fat might actually protect us from obesity.
In recent years, however, attention has turned to protein, with the hypothesis that people eat food mostly to obtain protein rather than energy.
According to this idea, when the protein content falls, humans eat more to meet the target protein intake – causing them to consume too many calories.
Share or comment on this article:
-
Slaughter of the crocodiles: 300 captive reptiles are…
-
Who’s that? Jodie Whittaker teases fans in new clip…
-
Hot wheels! California couple steal $1million FIRE TRUCK…
-
Brexit the movie: Benedict Cumberbatch stars in new drama…
-
Now THAT’S more like a protest! Thousands of Finns take…
-
Travellers pitch 30 caravans at beauty spot which JRR…
-
Sajid Javid has ‘Ed Balls’ moment as he accidentally…
-
Tory MP who took David Cameron’s old seat RESIGNS as…
-
Heartwarming moment cops buy boy a new pair of shoes…
-
Fury at MMA star Conor McGregor as he PRAISES Putin as…
-
‘They’ll probably delete me. I don’t care’: ‘World’s…
-
Benidorm plunge victim Kirsty Maxwell ‘climbed over…
-
Wreckage from plane that crashed 20 YEARS ago is finally…
-
‘She was deadset trying to kill me’: Driver who punched a…
-
A century after the Tsar and his family were murdered and…
-
Net closes in on Novichok assassins: Britain is ‘close to…
-
Heart failure is more deadly for women as they are 14%…
-
‘Leave our country… old fat Mexican b****s’: Blonde…
Comments 6
Share what you think
-
Newest -
Oldest -
Best rated -
Worst rated
The comments below have not been moderated.
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
Close
Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline?
Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual.
Close
Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline?
Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual
We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook.
You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.