Only “good” fats, not other kinds of fats, may have a good influence on children`s metabolism, according to recent Swedish studies. Researchers found that children who follow a diet low in good fats can become overweight.
The study involved almost two hundred four-year old children, and supervised their insulin levels, dietary intake, lifestyle, and eating habits. After the Body Mass Index (BMI) measures, twenty-three percent of them were considered overweight and two percent obese.
The results showed a connection between the fat intake and the BMI. Children with high BMI were gaining weight but they were not the ones who consumed the biggest amount of fat. More fats were consumed by children with normal or low BMI. The problem with overweight children was that their bodies stored too much fat.
The study showed unhealthy eating habits since twenty percent of the children ate “junk” food like candies, sweets, soft drinks, cookies, ice cream, or biscuits and the daily amount of fruits and vegetables was of only 140 grams per day compared to the recommended 400 grams.
An iron deficiency was registered for seventy percent of the children, while twenty percent of them had calcium problems. However, further studies are needed to prove that fat may not cause an increased level of insulin, according to the researchers.
The study showed that unsaturated fat, omega-3 fat in particular, may be a key to preventing child obesity.
The good fats that can lower the level of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats are found in nuts, olive oil, and canola while the polyunsaturated fats are in salmon, fish oil, soy, corn, sunflower oil, and safflower. Omega-3 fat belongs to this group.
(c) Project Weight Loss 2008. All rights reserved.
About the author:
For free weight loss tools and diets, visit Project Weight Loss, a large community dedicated to weight loss featuring BMI calculator, calorie counter, carbs counter, diet planner, workout planner, and many other weight loss tools. Visit Project Weight Loss and start losing weight today!
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com