Study identifies specific foods, behaviors most likely to contribute to weight gain
Source: The New York Times; The New England Journal of Medicine
Research coming out of the Harvard School of Public Health suggests that food industry advice to eat everything in moderation may be contributing to increased weight among American adults.
Foods most strongly correlated with weight gain among the study’s 120,000 participants include French fries, potato chips, and other forms of potatoes; sugar-sweetened drinks; red and processed meats; sweets and desserts; refined grains, fried foods; 100-percent fruit juice and butter. Foods that resulted in weight loss among participants included fruits, vegetables, whole grain, yogurt, and nuts, including peanut butter.
With the exception of yogurt, dairy products were found to have a neutral effect on weight. One glass of wine a day made no changes in weight loss or gain, but consumption of other types of alcohol resulted in weight gain.
Sleep patterns also affected weight loss in participants; those who slept more than eight hours or fewer than six hours a night were more likely to gain weight. The more television people watched, the more weight they gained.