Why potato chips make you fatter than ice cream and alcohol:

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It is no secret that a penchant for high-fat foods will make you gain weight faster. But according to new research, some have a larger impact on our waistlines than others than others. A large-scale study has found that potato-based foods, such as french fries, have a disproportionately large effect on how much weight we gain over time, compared with other vices such as alcohol or candy. The findings, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, saw Harvard University medical experts analyse the dietary habits of 120,000 people aged between 33 and 60 over a 20-year period.
A Harvard study has found that potato chips have a disproportionate impact on weight gain compared with other vices such as alcohol and desserts

Guilty pleasure: A new study has found that potato chips have a disproportionate impact on weight gain compared with other vices such as alcohol and desserts

Participants’ weights were measured every four years, while diet was detailed on questionnaires. All were of a normal weight at the start, but gained an average of 17lb over the years. But those with certain diet habits gained more weight than others. Potato chips, the research revealed, were the biggest offender. Each 1oz daily serving (about 15 chips and 160 calories) led to a 1.69lb weight increase over four years. By contrast, those that regularly ate sweets and desserts gained just 0.41lb extra weight over four years. Other potato-based foods fared little better, with boiled and baked spuds contributing 1.28lb in extra weight over four years. Sugary sodas added 1lb to a participant’s weight over four years. But, the study revealed, there are some foods that contributed to weight-loss. Yoghurt showed particularly impressive results, helping participants drop 0.82lb over four years. Those that regularly ate fruit and nuts also shed 0.49lb and 0.57lb respectively. Vegetables and whole grains also contributed to weight loss.
‘It’s a myth that there are no good and bad foods. There are foods that are good or bad for different health outcomes’
Dariush Mozaffarian, associate professor of medicine at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, who lead the research told CNN: ‘It’s not “everything in moderation”. ‘There’s a myth that there’s no good and bad foods. There are foods that are good or bad for different health outcomes.’ He explained that refined carbohydrates are were particularly problematic, as they can cause an increase in insulin and glucose levels. ‘In some short-term controlled studies, these bursts in glucose and insulin increase later hunger [and] the total amount of food consumed at the next meal,’ he continued. ‘Overall, carbohydrate quality appears to be a key yardstick in the diet for relations with heart disease, diabetes, and now weight gain.’ The research showed that lifestyle also played a large part in whether a participant succumbed to middle-aged spread. The most obvious preventative activity, exercise, helped stave off 1.76lb of weight gain per four years. But for every hour a day of television, participants gained an average of an extra third of a pound every four years. Too much or too little sleep also contributed to weight gain, with six-to-eight hours per night proving ideal.

DIET SECRETS: THE FOODS TO EAT AND AVOID

The Harvard study analysed the dietary habits and weight of over 120,000 people over 20 years. The below tables show the impact of different foods and lifestyle habits on participants over each four-year period. FOODS AND HABITS CONTRIBUTING TO WEIGHT GAIN:
FOOD/HABIT AVERAGE WEIGHT GAIN
Potato chips 1.69lb
Potatoes 1.28lb
Sugar-sweetened drinks 1lb
Unprocessed red meat 0.95lb
Processed meats 0.93lb
Alcohol (one drink per day) 0.41lb
Watching television 0.31lb per hour per day
Recently quitting smoking 5lb
FOODS AND HABITS CONTRIBUTING TO WEIGHT LOSS:
FOOD AVERAGE WEIGHT LOSS
Vegetables 0.22lb
Whole grains 0.37lb
Fruit 0.49lb
Nuts 0.57lb
Yoghurt 0.82lb
Daily exercise 1.76lb
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