Trends in Fat Intake and Their Impacts on Body Weight and the Risk of Overweight and Obesity Among Chinese Adults

Background: Studies on fat intake and obesity have been controversial. Previous studies have reported that in Western countries the types of fat intake are associated with overweight and obesity rather than the amount, but new evidence shows that the amount of fat intake may play an important role in the epidemic of obesity. This study examined the association between dietary fat intake and body weight and the risk of overweight and obesity in China. Methods: We used data of 23,859 adults aged 20 to 60 years who participated in the China Health and Nutrition Survey, an ongoing, open-cohort study from 1991 to 2015. We collected detailed dietary data by conducting three 24-hour dietary recalls and weighing foods and condiments in household inventories. We examined the association between fat intake and body weight, body mass index (BMI), and risk of overweight and obesity with linear or logistic random-effects regression models for panel data stratified by sex. Findings: The Chinese population’s fat intake, energy intake from fat, and high-fat diets increased from 68 ·5 grams/day (g/d), 23 ·1%, and 22 ·4%, respectively, in 1991, to 79 ·3 g/d, 35 ·6%, and 67 ·2%, respectively, in 2015. The prevalence of overweight and obesity increased from 12 ·3% to 37.3% during the same period. After controlling for potential confounders, fat intake, percentage of energy intake from fat, and a high-fat diet were positively associated with body weight, BMI, and risk of overweight and obesity in both sexes (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Excessive fat intake and a high-fat diet were associated with increased body weight, BMI, and risk of overweight and obesity. Reducing dietary fat intake is a public health priority and an opportunity for China to increase its population’s health and quality of life. These findings can have a significant impact on policies and interventions to control overweight and obesity. Funding Statement: The National Institute of Nutrition and Health, China Center for Disease Control and Prevention; The Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and the National Institutes of Health (R01-HD30880, DK056350, R24 HD050924, and R01-HD38700). Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: The institutional review committees of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, approved the survey protocols, the instruments, and the process for obtaining informed consent for this study. Participants provided their written, informed consent.