Steaks ‘as bad as sugar in fight on obesity’

MEAT is as big a factor in the obesity epidemic as sugar, experts have warned.

While people are aware of the health risks of eating too much sweet food, they may not realise meat is also making them fat, they said.

The University of Adelaide team, who compared obesity and meat consumption rates in 170 countries, said: ‘We have found that sugar availability in a nation explains 50 per cent of obesity variation while meat availability another 50 per cent.

‘After correcting for differences in nations’ wealth, calorie consumption, levels of urbanisation and of physical inactivity, which are all major contributors to obesity, sugar availability remained an important factor, contributing independently 13 per cent, while meat contributed another 13 per cent to obesity.’

Writing in the journal BMC Nutrition, they said by the time the protein in meat is digested, we have already gained all the energy we need from other food. This results in the energy from protein being stored as fat – and the pounds piling on.

However, the industry-funded Meat Advisory Panel said slow digestion of meat keeps us feeling full for longer, making it an ‘effective aid to weight loss’.