- Researchers report that eating more refined carbohydrates can lead to more weight gain in midlife.
- They suggest replacing refined carbs with carbohydrates from whole grains, fruit, and non-starchy vegetables.
- They added that the link between carbohydrates and weight gain was more significant in women and people with excess weight.
Increased carbohydrate consumption from refined grains, starchy vegetables, and sugary drinks is associated with more significant weight gain throughout midlife, according to a
Researchers used data on 136,432 men and women, 65 and younger, who enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study, the Nurses’ Health Study II, and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.
At enrollment, participants were free of health conditions such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, gastric problems, and chronic kidney disease.
The participants completed questionnaires on personal characteristics, medical history, lifestyle factors, and other health information at the start and every two to four years until the end of the study (24 to 28 years).
On average, participants gained 3 pounds every four years and nearly 19 pounds over the length of the study.
Researchers reported that weight gain was associated with increases in the glycemic index and glycemic load, which are measures of the effects of different foods on blood sugar levels.
“This is a well-designed study that shows us a relationship but not a causation between types of food we eat and weight gain in midlife,” Dr. Holly Lofton, a physician at NYU Langone in New York specializing in obesity medicine who was not involved in the study, told Medical News Today.
Experts noted that the limitations of the study include the fact it was observational and cannot specifically determine cause. They added it also relied on self-reported data.
The study did home in on some factors that experts consider important.
“This…
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