El aumento de peso en mujeres se relaciona con dietas muy energéticas, ricas en grasas saturadas y grasas “trans”
Weight gain in women is related to high-energy diets rich in saturated and trans fats.
Maira Bes-Rastrollo, professor at the University of Navarra, awarded for the best article in Epidemiology and Public Health 2009.
Following an eight-year prospective study of 50,000 North American women, University of Navarra researcher and professor Maira Bes-Rastrollo has shown that their weight gain is related to high-energy (high-calorie) diets and the consumption of saturated and trans fats.
The work, co-authored by Professors Rob Van Dam - University of Singapore; Tricia Li, Laura Sampson and Frank Hu - Harvard University professors; and Miguel Ángel Martínez-González -Full Professor of Preventive Medicine at the University of Navarra - was goal to study the relationship between the energy density of the per diem expenses and weight gain in women.
According to the author, the results clearly showed that a patron saint of high-calorie per diem expenses , saturated fats (from meats, sausages, fast food and butter), trans fats subject (present in industrial pastries, some cookies and fast food), refined carbohydrates (abundant in sweets, rice and white bread) and sugary soft drinks are strong predictors of increased weight gain.
Likewise, the experts found that the consumption of vegetables and fruits prevented this problem, "which again shows us the benefits of diets rich in these foods," says Maira Bes-Rastrollo.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
On the other hand, the volunteers varied in weight according to the amount of individual meals and energy drinks ingested. "However," clarifies the lead author, "the public health recommendations do not warn of this nuance and do not indicate the energy values of individual portions of food and drink."
The work has won the annual award for the best original article in Epidemiology and/or Public Health awarded by the group EJE (group Spanish Young Epidemiologists), whose submission will take place at the next annual meeting of the group. In addition, the research has been published in one of the most prestigious journals of its area: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Maira Bes-Rastrollo, professor at the University of Navarra, has been recently accredited by the National Agency for Assessment of Quality and Accreditation as full professor of Preventive Medicine and Public Health. She has more than 50 international publications and has completed postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard University (Massachusetts) and Loma Linda University (California).