Processed And Sugary Foods And Drinks Contribute To Long-Term Weight Gain

U.S. researchers who gathered data on lifestyle factors and weight gain from three different studies found that consuming less processed and sugary foods and beverages, getting more physical activity, watching less TV, and getting more hours of sleep at night all tended to contribute to a reduction in long-term weight gain. The data from the studies were collected over 12 to 20 years from more than 120,000 healthy, non-obese nurses and health professionals, many of whom gained weight during the study. Foods associated with the most weight gain included potato chips and other potato foods, sugary beverages, unprocessed and processed meats. The researchers recommended eating minimally processed foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts, and fewer highly processed foods, such as white bread, white rice, etc.