If You Weight Train, Eating Too Much Protein Won't Make You Fat

In a recent study conducted by Nova Southeastern University, researchers evaluated the effects of different protein levels on body composition on resistant-trained men and women and found that extremely high levels of protein had no significant effects on fat gain or body composition. This led to the conclusion that eating too much protein won't actually lead to fat and weight gain, contrary to what nutritionists believe.

Experts believe that eating too much protein will lead to fat gain

It is not exactly clear if eating too much protein specifically will result in body fat gains, as overfeeding in general will lead to body weight and fat mass gain. For example, in a different study, overfeeding on candy versus peanuts showed that fat gains increased only in the candy group compared to the peanuts group. Overfeeding on sugar resulted in fat gains, while the effects of overfeeding protein is still unclear. However, there have been lots of articles and rumors on the Internet commenting that overfeeding on protein will lead to fat gain.

University of Maryland's Coordinator of Nutritional Services, Jane Jakubczak, MPH, LDN gave her views on over-consuming calories (including protein) and how that would lead to fat gain. As an example, many professional nutritionists believe that consuming a high level of protein daily will have a negative effect on the human body. However, there has not been many research on this topic, and so this study tried to address that common myth with its results.




Resistant-trained subjects who ate absurdly high amounts of protein maintained or lost body fat after eight weeks

There has been a lack of research when it comes to the effects of exceeding high levels of protein (2.0g/kg per day) for the physically active, and so this study investigates what it really means to be 'high protein', giving subjects more than double that amount, 4.4g/kg per day.

The methods of this study were as following: thirty resistance-trained volunteered for this investigation, and were randomized to a control (CON=10) and high protein diet (HP n=20) group. Participants were healthy resistance-trained men and women who had been training regularly for at least 7+ years, with at least 3+ hours every week.

Individuals in the control group were instructed to maintain the same dietary and training habits over the time period of the study. However, the subjects in the HP group were instructed to consume 4.4 g per kilogram of body weight per day (4.4 g/kg/d). All procedures were approved by the University's Board, and consent was given prior to the study.

Subjects kept a daily diary of their food intake and training regimen via a smartphone app (MyFitnessPal), and used that to monitor their daily protein intake. Before the study, all participants' total body weight were measured approximately the same time of day.

After 8 weeks of participation, with statistical analysis of p< .05, results showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups for any of the baseline measures. Fat gain and body composition were about equal in both groups, even though one group had much higher protein intake than the other.

And so, consuming 5.5 times the recommended daily allowance of protein did not have a significant effect on body composition in resistance-trained individuals who maintained the same training regimen. This study was the first to demonstrate that consuming a hypercaloric(consuming more calories than burned) did not result in an increase in body fat.

Protein contributes to gains in lean body mass but not fat mass

From the results of this study, it can be concluded that excess calories from protein do not turn into fat like carbohydrates do. When too much carbohydrates like bread, pasta, and sugary foods are consumed, the extra calories metabolize into fat. But from this study, protein does not behave in the same way as carbohydrates do, as extra calories of protein did not metabolize into fat.

From another recent study, subjects who were treated to low, medium, and high levels of protein all had equal amounts of fat gain; however, lean body mass decreased in the low protein group in contrast to medium and high protein groups. This shows that eating extra calories will result in a gain in body fat, but overfeeding on protein will also result in an increase in lean body mass.

It should be noted also that the subjects in this particular study were all participating in resistance training, and many of the past studies involved subjects who did not do so. And so it is interesting to see that just by adding weights to exercise regimens, protein and other macronutrients like carbohydrates and fats will have a different effect on those who weight train compared to those who do not. Perhaps the subjects in this study metabolized and synthesized protein differently than others.

While carbohydrates and calories should not be consumed in excess, a balance of all macronutrients is indeed recommended by many nutritionists. Eating a balanced meal can be vital in an individual's overall health and well-being.

When asked about nutritional balance in terms of protein levels, Jakubczak agrees that the daily protein recommendation levels are indeed low for the general public, and that an increase of protein level should be encouraged for optimal health diets.

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for protein by US may be inadequate for physically active individuals

Protein is a vital part of nutrition that can affect an individual's body composition. There has been multiple protein level intake recommendations by various institutes over the years, with US recommending .8g/kg per day. Statistics show that the average protein intake for adults is about 1.0g/kg per day, which is slightly higher than the RDA. However, since this is for the average adults, this level may not be adequate for the physically active individuals.

For those who engage in exercise/sport training for several hours a week, a higher protein level intake may be recommended.  Consuming more protein than the RDA may be considered a 'high' intake of protein, and according to the Position Stand by the International Society of Sports Nutrition, "intakes of 1.4-2.0g/kg per day are needed for physically active individuals. Therefore, for the sake of this study, any diet that exceeds 2.9g/kg per day of protein is considered to be 'high' protein intake.

Maryland's Jakubczak commented that higher levels of protein are needed for the physically active, because protein is a huge part of reconstructing muscle tissues for full recovery. And so, this study showed that when men and women are training with resistance, even absurdly high amounts of protein will not actually lead to fat gain.

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Protein is a vital macronutrient that leads to growth, muscle building, repair, and other important bodily functions

Consumption of dietary protein is extremely important to resistance-trained individuals, since protein packs the necessary nutrients needed to rebuild muscle tissues when they are torn up during resistance training.

Protein sources include:

• Meat such as chicken, beef, pork
• Fish
• Tofu
• Eggs
• Yogurt
• Beans
• Cheese

Many researchers have pondered what the effects of different protein levels on body compositions are, including how high of a protein level consumption is needed for health benefits. We have seen that super high levels of protein won't lead to fat gain, but the exact level for maximum results is still unknown.

Resistance training shows multiple benefits for all ages in physical and mental health

This study involved participants who all engaged in resistance training, and that may be the reason as to why they did not gain fat while consuming high amounts of protein. Studies have shown that resistance training is extremely beneficial to the human body in multiple ways, and should be encouraged by all to take part in.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regular strength training can be very powerful in reducing the signs and symptoms of numerous diseases an chronic conditions, including:

• Arthritis
• Diabetes
• Osteoporosis
• Obesity
• Back pain
• Depression

And so, resistance training may be the foundation for weight and fat levels control, as all participants in the study who participated in resistance training did not show significant increase in body weight or fat. With the proper exercise regimen and healthy diet habits, eating too much protein may not affect your body composition as much as you think.

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Studies Show that Students' Research Habits are Changing in the Digital Age

Teachers believe that Google is the most widely used search engine for student research

According to this study conducted by PewResearchCenter, teachers believe that students' research habits are changing alongside the rapid development of digital technology. A survey was given to Advanced Placement and National Writing Project teachers to see how they perceive students' use of technology, and whether they think technology is beneficial for students both in and out of the classrooms. About three-quarters of AP and NWP teachers believe that the internet and digital search tools have had a "mostly positive" impact on students' research habits, but 87% say that these technologies are creating an "easily distracted generation with short attention spans" and 64% say that today's digital technologies "do more to distract students than to help them academically." Teachers from all over the nation have believed also that the very meaning of "research" has changed due to the internet. Teachers and students both say that today, "research" basically means "Googling." As a result, some teachers say that student's research has "shifted from a relatively slow process of intellectual curiosity and discovery to a fast-paced, short term exercise aimed at locating jut enough information to complete an assignment." These teachers' perceptions are reflected in their survey responses shown in the graph below. 

It is clear from the graph that teachers believe "Research" almost means "Google", with 94% of teachers saying that students are very likely to use Google or other online search engines in a typical research assignment. Wikipedia and YouTube also trails behind as 2nd and 3rd place for student research, and it is interesting to note that printed books or textbooks are slowly dissipating as sources of research for students.

Teachers have mixed opinions towards to academic use of cell phones in classrooms

Cell phone use has been a debated controversy in the education department, with teachers defending both sides of the issues. According to the surveys done in this research, several teachers noted how these tools can spur excitement and learning. They gave examples of the benefits of cell phone use, like looking up interesting information in class rather than having to wait later and forget about it. Other teachers obviously believe that cell phones can be distractions in the classroom, but they also expressed the belief that "cell phones are here to stay and present an opportunity to connect with their students using devices the students are excited about." In the graph below, when asked how students are using their cell phones in classrooms, teachers report that 42% of the students look up information in class, and that 38% of students take pictures or record video for a school assignment. Cell phone and internet use have been changing and growing for students in their academics, and it will be interesting to see where this growth takes students in the future years.

Teachers agree that judging the quality of information is the most essential skill students need for the future
When asked what skills are needed for students' successful future, AP and NWP teachers agreed that both judging the quality of information and writing effectively are the most important. In the graph shown below, teachers believe that students who are able to conduct research effectively by evaluating the quality of information that they find and communicating efficiently will have a successful future. Behaving responsibly online and understanding privacy issues surrounding digital and online content trails closely behind the two most important skills, with 85% and 78% teachers agreeing respectively. The lowest category is working with audio, video or graphic content, which is based heavily on technology. With the rise of technology use, it will also be interesting to note how this skill will be evaluated in terms of importance a decade from now. While the teachers generally agreed on what skills are needed, there were also mixed reviews on when these skills should be taught and by whom. Many teachers thought that these skills should be taught in elementary school, while others felt that elementary students may not be ready to learn such skills yet.

The question of who should me responsibly for teaching this part of the curriculum was also open to debate, as some teachers openly acknowledged that they do not feel qualified to teach some of these skills. Other teachers also suggested that these skills need to be taught by all teachers across the curriculum. As the development of technology starts to rise, students need to be able to
keep up, adapt, and effectively use these technologies to propel their education to the next level.

Studies Show that Mobile and Tablet Use for News are Rapidly Growing by Eric33 and Brandon68

In this year's data, studies show evidence of new changes in digital news and how mobile devices have affected news consumption. Mobile and social consumption have soared to a new level for news, and the medium for network sites are starting to shift to social networks like Facebook. In the US, 35% of the population get news on at least two digital devices, and smartphones are used more widely than tablets for news usage as well.


Mobile and tablet use for news grows rapidly over the year for many countries
Just over the past year, we have seen a big jump in the adoption of both smartphones and tablets for news. In the US, around 31% of the population uses smartphones for news, increasing 3% from 2013's data of 28% smartphone usage. However, it is interesting to note that the US is not the leading country for smartphone use for news, as compared to US's data, countries like Germany, France, Italy, and Britain have increased dramatically in smartphone use for news over just the past year. Denmark especially, have soared from 2013-2014, boasting a 9% increase of smartphone use for news, leading the globe with 52% of the population using smartphones for news. For tablet uses, Denmark is also leading the globe with 34% usage for news, while the US is only at 19% this year. However, when we look at the use of smartphones versus the use of tablets, we find that in this year, there are more smartphone users for accessing news in most to all age groups than tablet users. For the group age 18-24 years old, about 36% uses smartphones for news and only about 9% uses tablets.

Compared to all nations, the US is ranked 4th for Top Sharing Nations

This year's study also shows the top sharing nations in the globe. Sharing is measured by the % of sharing via email or social network weekly. Surprisingly, the US is ranked only 4th in the world, with 35% of its population sharing content via email or social network weekly. Brazil, however, is leading the chart, ranking at number 1. With an eye-opening statistic, Brazil has over 54% of its population sharing content via email or social network weekly! Italy trails behind at 44%, and Spain ranks third with 40%, and then as we know, the US is fourth place. In the top 10 sharing nations, it is also not surprising to see Japan to be the lowest of the list, ranking at number 10, with coincidentally only 10% of its population sharing content via email or social network weekly. It is also interesting to note that most of the countries on the list are located in Western Europe, where social network and online engagement are starting to increase rapidly over the coming years.

                                      

US shows relative comparisons of news content with other nations

In US, Yahoo leads online weekly usage for news

In a study shown below, the US population consumes news from various online sources such as New York Times, CNN, Huffington Post, etc. Surprisingly, Yahoo is leading all other online sources for news in the US, with 28% of the population engaging with its website for news. A local newspaper is trailing behind as the second most used for online news, with 18% of the population engaging with it. Below that, Fox News and Huffington Post are tied, both at 17% usage of the population. At the bottom of the online brands, Buzzfeed is the lowest with only 5% usage, but studies have shown that Buzzfeed is slowly making its way around the country and the globe, and it is expected that sites like Buzzfeed will start to make a greater impact in news network than before. It will be interesting to see how the data will change 10 years from now, and whether Yahoo will still be at the top, or whether Buzzfeed will have risen from the bottom.

                                               

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