Europeans are thinner than Americans. A high BMI puts a person at greater risk for health problems. Correspondingly, studies indicate that as fat intake increases, weight also increases. Similarly, obese and overweight individuals tend to consume more calories from fat than from either carbohydrates or protein. What's more, contrary to popular belief, our bodies are inefficient in storing carbohydrates, with the exception of highly competitive athletes who train their muscles to store more glycogen.
Most individuals convert few carbohydrates to body fat.
By contrast, dietary fat is burned as energy only after other energy sources are exhausted. The body is more efficient at storing fat than at burning it. Evidence also reveals that once a person becomes overweight, he or she is less able to oxidize or burn calories from fat and more likely to store these calories as body fat. The link between carbohydrates and lower weight also is supported by research that indicates carbohydrates in the diet satisfy appetite. This may come as a surprise to many, who, according to a 1997 Gallup survey, believe that eating bread, pasta and other carbohydrates causes overeating and obesity.