Fat is one of three macronutrients in the human diet, the others being protein, which is the basis of the body's structural elements, and carbohydrates, which are the handiest source of immediate fuel. Fat contains 9 calories per gram, while carbohydrates and proteins contain 4 calories per gram. But while consuming excess fat is notorious for leading to weight gain, it can also lead to a number of other, less obvious physical changes that are counterproductive in terms of general health.
Weight Gain
The link between high-fat diets and weight gain is well-established. A study in the journal "Obesity" in January 2008 examined the effect on body weight in 260 normal, overweight and obese men and women who ate whatever foods they desired, and the researchers found that those who selected foods higher in fat content gained more weight. This effect was ascribed not to a higher percentage of calories ingested from fat but to an increase in total calories related to the high caloric content of fat as compared with carbohydrates and protein.
Cancer
A study of mice implanted with tumors, published in "BMC Cancer" in January 2009, suggested that a high-fat diet may increase metastasis in cancer patients by a factor of three. The researchers, however, advised not extrapolating these results to human beings until further study is conducted. The link between obesity and cancer is well-established, with higher risks of malignancies of the breast, colon, uterus, kidney, esophagus and gallbladder observed in obese people.
Stroke
A high-fat diet has been linked to an increased risk of various adverse cardiovascular conditions and events. For example, a study involving more than 87,000 women 50 and older, presented at an American Stroke Association conference in February 2010, showed a 44 percent increased risk of a cerebrovascular accident, or stroke, among those in the highest 25 percent of fat intake. Those who ate diets high in trans fat--found in margarine, fried foods, crackers and cookies--were at especially high risk.
References
- "BMC Cancer"; Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering Imaging of Lipids in Cancer Metastasis; Thuc T Le et al.; Jan. 30 2009
- "Obesity"; Alteration of Dietary Fat Intake to Prevent Weight Gain; Joseph E. Donnelly et al.; January 2008
- National Cancer Institute: Obesity and Cancer
- "USA Today"; High-fat Diet Raises Stroke Risk in Women; Feb. 25, 2010
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