- Protein leverage is a theory about the body’s need for protein as a driver of appetite.
- Researchers say it could be one of many contributing factors to the rise of obesity rates in recent decades.
- Experts point out that the protein leverage hypothesis still requires more extensive study.
It’s been established that obesity is an
The World Health Organization
While the reasons for this epidemic are many, a review article recently published by Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B focuses on one of the more recent theories around the causes of obesity: the protein leverage hypothesis.
So what exactly does this school of thought propose and what do experts have to say about it?
The food you eat provides you with energy in the form of calories.
There are three basic forms that these calories can take: carbohydrates, fats, and protein.
The protein leverage hypothesis essentially proposes that when you don’t consume enough protein you’ll feel hungry, even if you’re getting calories from other sources.
Megan Wroe, MS, RD, CNE, CLEC, a wellness manager and registered dietitian at the Wellness Center of Providence St. Jude Medical Center in California, told Medical News Today there is some validity to the theory.
“Basically, when you don’t eat enough calories from protein in comparison to calories from carbs and fat, you end up eating more calories in an attempt to meet those minimum protein requirements and can often end up over-eating in general,” she explained.
The relevance of protein leverage tends to be increased…
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