When it comes to weight loss and weight gain, energy intake is crucial. And when it comes to energy intake, the most simplistic view is – a calorie is a calorie, regardless of where it comes from (protein, fat or carbohydrates). Evidence from recent research suggests that it does matter where a calorie comes from because its source influences the intake of the next calorie.
Changes in macronutrient intake (the ratio of carbohydrates, fat and protein in a diet) may significantly affect a person’s total energy intake.Take, for example, the effect changes in macronutrient intake have had on the U.S. population. Between the 1970s and 2014 the percentage of energy intake from carbohydrates has increased from 44% to 49%, while that of protein and fat has decreased – from 17% to 16% and from 37% to 33% respectively. This change in macronutrient composition is correlated with an increase in total energy intake by approximately 235 kcal per day and an increase in the prevalence of obesity from 11.9% to 33.4% in men and from 16.6% to 36.5% in women (Source1, Source2).
One explanation why this correlation exists is the “protein leverage hypothesis”. Based on studies in a variety of animals it posits that when animals are given foods low in protein1 they will continue eating carb-heavy foods until these foods have supplied them with the required protein, even if the extra food surpasses their caloric requirements and results in weight gain. This protein regulation has also been…
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