Written by James Kingsland on May 8, 2021 Fact checked by Alexandra Sanfins, Ph.D.
New research questions a well-established explanatory model of obesity. Maskot/Getty Images
A popular theory asserts that carbohydrates in food cause a spike in insulin, which promotes fat storage and increases appetite, leading to overeating.
However, recent research suggests that this “carbohydrate-insulin model” may be an oversimplification.
In an article in the journal
Science
, researchers argue that while low carb, high fat diets can help some people lose weight, a more nuanced model is needed to explain how they work.
They write that insulin levels between meals, and the hormone’s effect on multiple organs, are more important for balancing the body’s energy budget.