Research
Macro partitioning
A decrease in the dietary protein fraction (dilution by carbs/fat) triggers compensatory energy intake via protein leverage, potentially explaining a significant portion of the US obesity epidemic.
Ensure your diet has a sufficient proportion of protein relative to total calories. If you are eating a diet high in carbs and fats, you may need to eat more total food to get enough protein, which can lead to weight gain. Prioritize protein density to avoid this compensatory overeating.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
The protein leverage model of obesity posits that decreasing the protein fraction of the diet leads to compensatory increases in total energy intake in an attempt to maintain a target amount of absolute protein consumed. The resulting increased energy intake thereby causes weight gain.
Why this rating
Based on mathematical modeling and population food balance data rather than direct long-term human intervention trials proving causality.
Source
The Potential Role of Protein Leverage in the US Obesity Epidemic
Kevin D. Hall · Obesity · 2019
DOI 10.1002/oby.22520
narrative_reviewCited 51×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
Related findings · Macro partitioning
- Total daily protein intake of 1.6 g/kg/day is sufficient for maximizing resistance training-induced muscle gains, with an upper confidence interval of 2.2 g/kg/day.Strong
- Resistance exercise training combined with sufficient dietary protein intake acts synergistically to maximize skeletal muscle hypertrophy, with protein intake saturating around 1.6 g/kg/day for general populations and potentially requiring 2.0-2.2 g/kg/day for resistance-trained individuals.Strong
- Trans fats should be completely eliminated from the diet, as they increase LDL cholesterol, decrease HDL cholesterol, and are directly associated with increased coronary risk.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →