You can file this news under “life isn’t fair”, but on the other hand, it could actually be helpful if you’ve been frustrated by previous attempts to lose weight. Researchers at the Harvard School for Public Health have published a study showing that some people with a genetic predisposition to obesity actually gain weight faster as a result of eating fried foods than those whose genetic risk is lower. My daughter often complains that “life isn’t fair” when she has to do something she doesn’t want to do. I agree and explain that “fair” is a place you go to see farm animals and eat really bad foods, like fried foods that add pounds to your middle as fast as you can eat them.
The Harvard researchers noted that this is the first study to show that the fattening effects of fried foods can vary from person to person depending on an individual’s genetic makeup. Even worse, the study also showed that eating a lot of fried foods can multiply the harmful genetic effects.
The researchers concluded that eating fried foods regularly is linked with a higher body mass index (BMI) after other eating habits and lifestyle factors are taken into account. Beyond that, they found that eating a lot of fried foods proved “particularly pronounced” in people with a greater genetic predisposition to obesity. The study also showed that the genetic effect on BMI among study participants who ate fried foods more than four times a week was twice as large compared to those who indulged less than once a week.
The obvious message from this groundbreaking study is that it is “particularly important” in the words of one of the researchers that people predisposed to obesity avoid fried foods. (He also said that everybody else should reduce fried food consumption, too. I’ll second that!)
Another message from this study is more exciting: these findings could be the first of many to identify a genetic connection with particular foods, and according to Lu Qi, the study’s lead author, could someday lead to more individualized prescriptions for weight control.
In the meantime, we have the Omni Diet. If you’re looking for some extra help managing cravings, visit the MindWorks store and take a look at our Craving Control supplement.