Overweight men respond to a carbohydrate-rich meal differently than lean men, Spanish researchers report. When given the same meal, heavier men tend to have higher fat production in their livers, increased rates of certain blood fats and lower oxidation of fats.
If these metabolic responses to carbohydrates in white bread, pasta and sugar continue over time, they may upset a person's nutritional balance. The findings may mean that some people become overweight because they are able to store sugars as fats more easily. However, it is not clear from the study if the difference in fat production is caused by obesity, or obesity leads to changes in fat production.
To maintain a healthy body weight, it is important to strike a balance between proteins, carbohydrates and fat, the researchers point out. Since eating carbohydrates reduces the body's need to rely on fat for fuel, the investigators suspected that the way the body processes carbohydrates might have an effect on body weight.
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