Is Fat the Cause of Obesity? Let’s Find The Answer

Fats are very energy dense. At 9 calories per gram, it provides more than twice the calories per gram of protein or carbohydrates. The number of calories in fatty foods increases very quickly. More commonly, substituting protein for fats or carbohydrates can reduce calories. But what do you think? is fat the cause of obesity?

Many popular foods contain a lot of fat. Baked desserts such as cookies and cakes are usually laden with fat, as are light foods and many restaurant foods. A survey by the Institute of Food Technologists found that burgers, French fries, Mexican food, and pizza – all full of fat – are the foods most in demand in restaurants today.

Cutting Fat Intake Reduces Weight

Reducing your fat intake can reduce calories and weight. Several years ago, people who participated in a research study and followed a low-fat diet for other reasons lost weight without trying to lose it.

The literature is now pretty clear about what happened: The low-fat diet was also lower in calories. Why? Food manufacturers haven’t made the hundreds of low-fat foods that are available now. Without abundance from low-fat or fat-free cookies, ice cream, crackers, to other snacks and desserts, dieters are left with basic food options and have little chance of overeating.

Fat Intake And Obesity

International studies that compare countries and research with large groups of people consistently show a link between fat intake and obesity rates and between fat intake and disease.  Studies have found that a diet low in fat, saturated fats, and cholesterol can reduce blood cholesterol levels. Thus reduce the risk of heart disease. These results prompted the medical community to try low-fat diets to treat heart disease and help people lose weight.

It makes sense, because losing weight is one of the most powerful ways to reduce the risk of heart disease. In cardiology circles, this has been called the “heart diet hypothesis“. Lowering the amount of fat in the diet can lower blood cholesterol and aid in weight loss.

Dietary Fats And Diseases

Different types of dietary fats are linked to heart disease and cancer. Saturated fats, found in meat and dairy fats, increase the risk of heart disease for both men and women.

Saturated fats have also been linked to an increased risk of breast, prostate and other cancers in women.

Trans fats are created in vegetable oil through hydrogenation to make the oil solid, similar to saturated fats. This is how margarine is made. Like saturated fats, trans fats increase cholesterol levels in the blood.

Some studies have indicated that eating a lot of vegetable oils is rich in omega-6 fatty acids (polyunsaturated fats). Excluding other fats, thus creating an imbalance in the fats mix, may contribute to some forms of cancer.

Ultimately, fats are fats – fats in the diet and body fats are the same. The message is simple: Eat less fat and reduce body fat.

Truth About Fats

Fats serve vital purposes in the diet because they contain important vitamins and aid in the absorption of essential nutrients; including essential fatty acids, carotenoids, and fat-soluble vitamins. The fats in foods stimulate bitterness to contract as the food from the meal reaches the intestine. The bile that is excreted by the gallbladder into the digestive system is essential for digestion and absorption of food.

The body needs fats from foods in order to function properly. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommended that 20% to 35% of daily calories come from fat. For the first time, it also recommended specific amounts of two essential fatty acids;

• Linoleic acid, and the omega-6 fatty acid in vegetable oils,
• And alpha-linolenic acid, which is an omega-3 fatty acid in fatty fish.

These fats are essential because the body is not able to produce them on its own.

New Understandings

With this new understanding of the role of fats in health, in the latest issue of Dietary Reference Intake, the International Organization for Migration has released its recommendation on the proportion of fats in a balanced diet. The recommended maximum percentage of calories coming from fat has been increased from 30% to 35%.

This revised recommendation gives greater flexibility to eat more fat in the diet, provided that the fats one consumes include more unsaturated sources. Eating saturated or trans fats is not recommended by dietitians for good health.

Eating too little fat can cause problems. A low-fat diet does not stimulate the gallbladder to contract and empty the bile, which increases the risk of gallstone formation. Most low-fat diets are high in carbohydrates. Following a high-carb diet can increase triglycerides in some people. Yes, we can evaluate that fat is the cause of obesity to some extent.

For this reason, neither the American Heart Association nor the American Diabetes Association recommend very low-fat diets for weight loss. Low-fat diets are very low in many nutrients, including vitamin E. This is especially noteworthy because the increased need for these vital nutrients has been recognized for their role as an antioxidant. The latest release of Dietary Reference Intakes increased the recommended daily intake of vitamin E; from 8 milligrams for women and 10 milligrams for men to 15 milligrams for both men and women.

We hope you got the answer for; is fat the cause of obesity?

Also, read this article: Overweight And Obesity: Causes And Health Risks