Presentation description

According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2017-2020), the prevalence of adult obesity in the U.S. was 42%, up 10% from 2000. Increasing weight status has been linked to an increased risk of many serious health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or coronary heart disease. High fat diets have long been shown to be linked to weight gain, though new research suggests that a high-fat low-carb diet, such as the Keto diet, can have opposite effects. In this study 30 female B6J mice were split into 6 groups of 5, each on a diet with different ratios of fat to carbohydrates, all fed according to the same ad libitum feeding regimen (access to food 24/7). Body weight was measured weekly for 10 weeks and body composition was measured at 0 and 10 weeks via NMR. Supporting previous research, the data collected showed that a high-fat diet (60% Fat, 20% Carb, 20% Protein) does lead to significant weight gain, though the high-fat low-carb diet (89.9% Fat, 0.1% Carb, 10% Protein) does not do the same. The mechanisms behind this remain unclear and more research is needed to understand them. Some research suggests that weight management can slow tumor growth, though the method of weight management remains controversial. High-fat low-carb diets provide a possible alternative for weight management in breast cancer survivors, as excess weight has been linked to increased risk or recurrence in women.