ResearchDietary fat, sugar, and fiber predict body fat content☆
Section snippets
Subjects
Study subjects (46 adult men and 32 adult women) were chosen from a pool of more than 200 local community members who responded to advertisements offering free diet and body composition analyses to research volunteers. Criteria for inclusion in this study was based on adiposity. For men, lean was defined as 15% body fat and obese was defined as 25% body fat. Values for lean and obese women were 20% and 35% body fat, respectively. All respondents who met the inclusion criteria for percent body
RESULTS
Total energy intake and energy intake per lean body mass were similar between the lean and the obese subjects (Table 1). When energy intake was expressed relative to body mass, the obese subjects were found to consume less than the lean subjects. Both obese men and women derived a greater percentage of their energy from fat and less from carbohydrate compared with their lean counterparts. However, the percentage of total energy derived from sugar was similar among all groups.
Group comparisons
DISCUSSION
The most significant finding from our study is that diet composition rather than energy consumption was a characteristic of obesity for both men and women. Specifically, no differences were observed in total energy intake or energy intake relative to lean body mass between lean and obese subjects, whereas energy intake per body mass was lower in obese than in lean subjects. These data agree with previous descriptive studies 1., 2., 3., 4., 5., 6., 7., large data-based studies in the German
APPLICATIONS
Our findings imply that obesity is maintained primarily by a diet high in fat and added sugar and relatively low in fiber. If obese persons substituted fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat meats, and skim-milk dairy products for their usual food choices, a shift in diet composition could be produced that supports a healthier lifestyle and weight control. This nondieting approach is a promising strategy for weight control without severe energy restriction.
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Supported by the Indiana University Adult Fitness Program and the Eleanor Naylor Dana Charitable Trust.