Foods marketed as ‘healthier’ could lead to weight gain: study

You might want to reconsider putting that low-fat spread on your toast — research indicates that foods marketed as ‘healthier’ could make you put on more weight as they typically lead to larger portion size.

The interim results of Safefood-funded research, conducted among more than 180 adults on the island of Ireland who had a range of body weights, found that products with health and nutrition claims such as ‘low fat’ and ‘reduced fat’ could actually lead to people eating larger than recommended portions.

The research, carried out by a team at the University of Ulster, involved showing volunteers three pairs of food — one marketed as ‘healthier’ and an equivalent ‘standard’ product.