The study revealed that participants who consumed more vegetables and the smallest sugary drink, processed foods, and unhealthy fat lost the most weight.
A US study has revealed that the quality and amount of food, as opposed to an individual’s genetics, will cause weight loss.
It has been echoed in the past that a person’s genetic makeup was likely to make it easier for them to lose weight more than others on specific diets.
Researchers at Stanford University conducted a test to ascertain the truth in the popular theory via a controlled trial of 609 overweight adults who were all tested for insulin and genetics before randomly assigning them to a low-carb or low-fat diet for a year.
Gene analyses demonstrated different ways by which the body processes carbohydrates or fat. On average, weight loss was around 5kg to 6kg, irrespective of diet type, genes, or insulin type.
According to researchers, only healthy eating seemed to make a significant difference.
The study revealed that participants who consumed more vegetables and the least amount of sugary drink, processed foods, and unhealthy fat lost the most weight.
Lennert Veerman, a prof at the School of Medicine at Griffith University in Queensland was of the opinion that the study proved that certain genetic make-up did not require any special diet.
According to Veerman, “We eat to fill our stomach and, if that’s with vegetables, we tend to lose weight, whereas if it’s with chocolate or French fries, flushed down with a soda, we gain weight,”
The study was featured in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Participants were encouraged to be physically active during the course of the test and were engaged in 22 health education classes.
Also, participants were urged to consume quality food but were not placed on any particular calorie limits nor special diets. Results were strictly decided upon what they reported to be eating.
In the low-fat group, fat consumption was around 57 grams on average in contrast to 87 grams initially, while the low-carb group has a carb intake of around 132 grams on average as opposed to 247 beforehand.
Both groups slashed their average intake by around 500 calories.
Dr. Rosemary Stanton, Leading Australian nutritionist from the University of New South Wales reckoned that the “excellent” study demonstrated the benefits of consuming lots of vegetables.
Stanton believes that people should consult professionals over their choice of food as the macronutrient content of a diet does not really matter.
“Some previous studies that have damned carbohydrates have not taken note of the foods that supplied it,” Stanton said. “For example, lentils and lollies are both ‘carbs’ but one is a nutrient-dense high-quality food while the other is junk. Simply calling them ‘carbs’ does not provide this vital distinction.”
According to Veerman, although most diets worked, the real problem was carrying on with them.
Instead of following a diet, Veerman suggests that people should adopt healthier eating habits.