Snacking on high-fat, high-sugar food linked to abdominal obesity

A new study has found that snacking on high-fat and high-sugar foods was independently associated with abdominal fat and fatty liver (hepatic steatosis).

According to the study, hypercaloric diet with frequent meals increases intrahepatic triglyceride content (IHTG) and fat around the waist, but increasing meal size did not.

Lead author Dr. Mireille Serlie said that American children consume up to 27% of calories from high-fat and high-sugar snacks and they have examined if high meal frequency, with snacking, compared to large meal consumption contributes to increased intrahepatic and abdominal fat.

Results show that high calorie diets increased BMI. Eating more frequent meals significantly increased IHTG, while larger sized meals did not and belly fat increased in the high fat/high sugar frequency group and in the high sugar-frequency group, while a decrease in liver insulin sensitivity was found in the high fat/high sugar-frequency group.