A New Study Finds Fat Consumption Is the Only Cause of Weight Gain

Since food consists of fat, protein, and carbs, it has proven difficult to pinpoint exactly what aspect of the typical diet leads to weight gain. (Image: Free-Photos via Pixabay)

Scientists from the University of Aberdeen and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have undertaken the largest study of its kind looking at what components of diet — fat, carbohydrates, or protein — caused mice to gain weight. Since food consists of fat, protein, and carbs, it has proven difficult to pinpoint exactly what aspect of the typical diet leads to weight gain.

Part of the problem is that it is very difficult to do studies on humans, where what they eat is controlled for long enough periods to work out what the most important factors are; however, studies on animals that are similar to us can help point our understanding in the right direction.

The study was published in the journal Cell Metabolism, and includes 30 different diets that vary in their fat, carbohydrate (sugar), and protein contents. The mice were fed these diets for three months, which is equivalent to nine years in humans. In total, over 100,000 measurements were made of body weight changes, and their body fat was measured using a micro MRI machine.

Weight gain in mice only from more fat in diets

Professor John Speakman, who led the study, said:

Provided by: University of Aberdeen [Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.]

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