Norwegian Researchers Find Genetic Basis For A Balanced Diet

There is a host of medical studies and articles touting the benefits of different types of diets that promise weight loss and and extended lifespan. Often, researchers or nutritionists base their recommendations on individual outcomes, which are largely anecdotal given the potential for error in diet studies.

A team of scientists at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology conducted a study wherein they measured the effects of diet by looking at how food affects gene expression.

Among their findings was the discovery that a diet consisting of equal parts protein, carbohydrates and fats is optimal in preventing inflammation and excess body fat.

“A healthy diet shouldn’t be made up of more than one-third carbohydrates — up to 40 percent of calories — in each meal, otherwise we stimulate our genes to initiate the activity that creates inflammation in the body,” said researcher Berit Johansen, a biology professor at NUST.

Authors of the study noted that signs of “metabolic inflammation,” which is distinct from the type experienced when the body is fighting an illness, include red skin, a warm body temperature, bloating and mental fogginess.