According to the latest studies conducted on weight and fitness, it has come to light that BMI might not be the best and most adequate measure for obesity. Researchers of the study also said that people who eat foods that are high in calories consistently gain more weight. Such people end up consuming much more calories that they can burn. The study concluded that it is important to consider the overall fat content of the body and not base fitness studies only on body mass index.

The study was conducted by Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge in Louisiana USA. Lead author of the study is George A. Bray. Twenty five individuals, who were not diagnosed with any health problems, were considered for the study. Researchers evaluated food patterns and nutrients included in the diet, especially protein levels.

Participants of the study who were on a diet with low proteins did not gain much weight when compared to other participants who were on normal diets. In fact, it was found that people who were on a high protein diet gained more weight than those who had a low protein diet. So, the researchers concluded that total increase in fat in the body is due to calories and not due to proteins. However, proteins influenced the total lean body mass and energy expenditure.

According to researchers, diet composition is an important factor in deciding total fat content and lean body mass. The researchers also said that more studies are necessary in order to ascertain how diet composition influences energy dissipation. In the study group, participants were between the age groups of 18 and 35. The general body mass index of the body ranged between 19 and 30. All participants had to stay under controlled conditions as inpatients in a metabolic unit.  The study ranged between the years 2005 and 2007. The duration of stay in the unit ranged between 10 weeks and 12 weeks.

Weight stabilizing diet was followed for 13 to 25 days. The study group was divided into three. Each group was allotted one of the three types of diets – low protein with 5% energy from proteins, normal protein with 15% and high protein with 25%. All participants overate on these diets. They all got 954 excess calories every day in all diet plans. The results showed that all participants put on weight with the increased calorie diet and low protein people put on lesser weight than others.