‘Diet’ foods – high in sugar but low in fat – may contribute to unwanted weight gain and a host of other problems such as liver damage and brain inflammation, a new study warns.
Researchers from University of Georgia in the US monitored body weight, caloric intake, body composition and fecal samples in three groups of rats over a four-week period.
One group of test subjects consumed a diet high in fat and sugar, another group was fed a low-fat, high-sugar diet and a third group was given a balanced or “normal” diet.
Researchers found that both the low-fat, high-sugar and high-fat, high-sugar groups displayed an increase in liver fat and significant increases in body weight and body fat when compared to the balanced diet group.