Meat eating linked to weight gain

Reducing the amount of meat being consumed, or eliminating it from the diet, may be the key to keeping weight down. A study found that people eating the most meat gained the most weight, even when they ate the same number of calories as other people.

The research involved about 100,000 men and 270,000 women who were part a study on the links between cancer and nutrition. It was carried out by the Imperial College of London and the findings were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Participants were from 10 European countries, including the UK. They completed a detailed food questionnaire and were weighed and measured at the beginning of the study, and again five years later. The National Post reported that, on average, participants gained about a pound a year; and the more meat a person ate, the more they gained. They put on about two more kg (five lbs), over five years, for every additional 250 grams of meat they ate daily. Researchers do not understand why meat would cause weight gain when people were eating the same number of calories and getting the same amount of exercise, but a BBC article said one theory is that foods like meat alter how the body regulates appetite control. Study leader Dr Anne-Claire Vergnaud told BBC News: "I would recommend to people to control their consumption of meat to maintain a healthy weight and good health in general during life." The Heart and Stroke Foundation recognizes the benefits of a meat-free diet. The organization’s web site states: “Vegetarian diets can provide all the nutrients you need at any age, as well as some additional health benefits. Vegetarian diets often have lower levels of total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol than many meat-based diets, and higher intakes of fibre, magnesium, potassium, folate and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E. Vegetarian diets may lead to lower blood pressure, improved cholesterol levels, healthier weight and less incidence of Type 2 diabetes, all of which can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.”