Fat Intake Doesn't Affect Weight Gain, Study Finds

If you've been striving to keep your heart healthy, you know that eating a diet low in unhealthy fats is important. But what you might not know is that a low-fat diet might not do much to help your waistline, according to a new study.

Dr. Nita Forouhi of the Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, UK and her colleagues found that the percentage of calories a person gets from fat -- as opposed to carbs or protein -- has no bearing on their ability to maintain or lose weight. What's more, the type of fat consumed doesn't seem to matter either, according to Reuters Health.

We've long heard the warnings about fat: High levels of saturated and trans fats lead to coronary heart disease, which is well documented. What has been controversial though, is the role that fat plays in weight gain over time. To investigate this, Forouhi and her team studied nearly 90,000 men and women from six different countries as part of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Study.
After following participants for up to 10 years, the study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, reported that even though the average intake of fat was on the high end, the average weight gain was low. Participants consumed 31.5 percent to 36.5 percent of their total calories from fat each day (the USDA recommends 20 to 35 percent), yet, the participants only gained about a quarter of a pound every year. Although the people studied did gain some weight, there was no relationship between how much fat they ate and their weight gain.

While this can seem like a license to load up on the fried chicken, chips and ice cream, Forouhi warns that these results should not be misinterpreted. Eating as much fat as we want would be "absurd," she said in an email to Reuters Health, "given so much evidence that already exists on the potential harms of diets high in saturated or trans-fats for heart health for instance."

Forouhi said the healthiest way to lose weight and keep it off is by limiting total calorie intake (not just fat intake), reducing the amount of sugar, junk food and alcohol -- all culprits of empty calories, watching portion sizes and exercising regularly.

Want even more ways to eat nutritiously without expanding your waistline? Check out our list of the top 10 heart-healthy, weight-friendly foods.