Surprising Leads May Play Key Role In Global Obesity Epidemic

Researchers from the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre (CPC) have developed a new theory regarding the worldwide obesity epidemic.

Their research, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, suggests that the world's overwhelming appetite for protein in combination with our rapidly changing environment could play a key role in what's causing obesity.

More specifically, it indicates that bottle-feeding, climate change and corporate bottom lines could be more important than previously thought.

These leads were uncovered by comparing what has already been established as the Protein Leverage Hypothesis, a theory developed by the CPC researchers as part of a major breakthrough in nutrition research which identifies both human and other animal's strong appetite for protein, against our changing environment.

The explosion of ultra-processed foods, high-protein diets in early life - such as baby formula in lieu of breast milk - and increased atmosphere carbon dioxide are all part of the theory.

Leonard P Ullmann Chair in Nutritional Ecology at the Charles Perkins Centre and lead researcher professor David Raubenheimer said the new approach to the obesity issue involves the use of geometry in understanding nutrition.

"The new geometric approach has produced intriguing leads on what might be contributing to the obesity epidemic," Professor Raubenheimer said.

"We've found that the Protein Leverage Hypothesis can help to bring together separate factors that have been linked to obesity, such as formula feeding and shift work, and make new predictions about what is causing obesity now and what could exacerbate it in future."

The research also examined studied companion animals, or pets, which are now impacted by obesity at unprecedented levels.

Thirty-three per cent of dogs, 25 per cent of cats, and 45 per cent of horses are now estimated to be obese.

"This research represents a new platform for understanding the obesity epidemic," Professor Raubenheimer said.

"The approach is applicable to humans, but can also help us understand why other animals that share our recently altered environment are getting obese and suffering similar diseases such as diabetes.

"It is clear that obesity is more than just a medical problem, so we're using an ecological approach to understand how human biology - in particular the details of the human appetite - interacts with modern food environments to drive health problems."