A new Harvard study on foods that cause weight gain holds some big surprises. Published in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine, doctors analyzed the diet and lifestyle habits of 120,877 non-obese people. Their weight was measured every four years for 20 years, and they detailed their diets on questionnaires.
On average, participants gained nearly 17 pounds over the 20 years. For each four-year period, food choices contributed to an extra four pounds while exercise cut less than two pounds.
"There is no magic bullet for weight control," said one study leader, Dr. Frank Hu. "Diet and exercise are important for preventing weight gain, but diet clearly plays a bigger role."
Besides the perennial potato chips and soda, several additions to this list may be a surprise to many. Here are 12 foods singled out by the study to cut back on.
12. Butter
No surprises there. Dairy foods like butter and cheese were found to be linked to long-term weight gain. In the Harvard study, people who ate a lot of butter gained about 0.30 pounds every four years. One notable dairy exception: yogurt. According to the study, people who ate a lot of it were less likely to put on weight.
11. Fruit juice
Fruit- must be healthy, right? Well, it sounds healthy, but 100-percent fruit juice packs its share of sugar. Drinking juice daily added 0.31 pound of extra body weight every four years.
10. Fried foods
Fried food is as American as apple pie. But the study revealed that eating fried foods at home added 0.36 pounds every four years. Eating lots of fried food out at restaurants added 0.28 pounds every four years. Time to ditch the deep fryer, folks.
9. Refined grains
One reason refined grains are linked to weight gain is that we often overeat them, displacing foods that are healthier, including fruits and vegetables. The refining process often strips away the benefits of grain, leaving what some experts call "bad carbohydrates." Daily servings of refined grains added 0.39 pounds every four years.
8. Sweets and desserts
Cakes, pies, cookies, candy - even children know too much of these are bad for you. But we also know that abandoning that sweet tooth is no mean feat. Think of your waistline, though- eating sweets daily added 0.41 pounds every four years.
7. Potatoes
The study showed that all types of potato dishes had an impact on weight gain. Cooking style- boiled, baked or mashed- didn’t seem to matter. Getting a daily fix of potatoes added 0.57 pound of weight every four years.
6. Trans fats
Some states and cities have banned trans fat - which is often found in deep fryer shortening and processed foods. But plenty of people are still eating them. Eating trans fats added on 0.65 pound of weight every four years.
5. Processed meat
Cold cuts and hot dogs may be staples of sandwiches and school lunches. But they are high in calories and saturated fat, not to mention sodium. The study showed that eating lots of processed meats tacked on 0.93 pound every four years.
4. Unprocessed red meat
If you have beef on your plate too often, you may be risking weight gain. In the study, eating lots of red meat contributed to a weight gain of 0.95 pound every four years.
3. Sugar-sweetened soda
Fruit juice can pack on the pounds, but not as much as soda. Daily consumption of sugary drinks added exactly one pound every four years.
2. Potato chips
Chips may be thin, but not people who eat lots of them. In the study, daily chip eating brought a 1.69 pound weight gain every four years.
1. French fries
The number one fat-gainer. In the study, people who ate lots of fries gained more than three pounds of body weight every four years. Over the study's 20-year-period, that meant people who ate more fries put on more than 16 extra pounds from this food alone. No other food came close.
Ultimately, the authors' message is one that dieticians have been repeating for years: Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts, and cut back on these foods that cause weight gain.
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