Are low-fat foods making us fat?

If you've ever considered losing weight, cutting down the calories, or just eating a little healthier, you've probably reached for the low-fat version of your favourite food. However, you might want to rethink that choice.A report published earlier this year in the UK by the National Obesity Forum and the Public Health Collaboration reported that "Eating a diet rich in full-fat dairy, such as cheese, milk, and yoghurt - can actually lower the chance of obesity."Professor David Haslam, chairman of the National Obesity Forum, states in the response to the report: "The current guidelines suggesting high-carbohydrate, low-fat diets were the universal panacea, were deeply flawed. Current efforts have failed - the proof being that obesity levels are higher than they have ever been, and show no chance of reducing despite the best efforts of government and scientists."Here in Australia, Katherine Baqleh, dietitian at Health Victory Nutrition Experts , mostly agrees with these findings. "The rates of overweight and obesity have continued to rise despite the increase in low fat foods available," she tells SBS."The current Australian Dietary Guidelines encourage a moderate intake of carbohydrates (preferably low GI) in combination with good quality proteins and plenty of colourful vegetables at every meal."However, Baqleh believes that individual nutrients such as fats and carbohydrates are not to blame, but the sort of foods we're eating."In current times where convenience and speed are necessities in meal selection, portion sizes are increasing and the quality of the entire meal is deteriorating. Many convenience and pre-prepared meals are high in fat, high in refined or processed carbohydrates, and use poor-quality proteins such as deep-fried fish or fatty meats."

We may be doing our waistlines more harm than good by selecting low fat options Source: Blend Images