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Have you ever wondered if women and men have the same dietary needs, especially when it comes to losing weight? Turns out, when it comes to breakfast, men and women have different needs.
A study published in October 2024 in Computers in Biology and Medicine indicates that breakfast choices can have different effects on males and females. According to the research, men respond best to carbohydrate-rich breakfasts, while women show a more favourable metabolic response to meals higher in fat.
The researchers believe these findings could be utilized to customize diets according to individual needs, potentially aiding in weight loss and improving energy levels. The conclusions were drawn from a mathematical model that simulated the metabolic processes of both males and females.
This model considered scenarios of feeding and fasting in healthy young adults, examining metabolic responses to high-carb and high-fat breakfasts at both the organ and whole-body levels. Specifically, it analyzed the metabolic activities of the brain, heart, skeletal muscles, gastrointestinal tract, liver, and adipose tissue (fat). The study aimed to explore how carbohydrates and fats are metabolized throughout the body, as well as within specific organs.
The researchers were also interested in uncovering the factors driving these metabolic differences between genders. They developed the mathematical model to leverage existing data, enabling them to quickly test hypotheses and refine future studies without relying solely on more complex human trials.
The study's authors emphasized that this approach helps address a gap in scientific literature, noting that much of the current knowledge about metabolic responses to food tends to focus on males. By examining these gender-based metabolic differences, researchers hope to gain insights that could lead to more personalized nutrition recommendations, especially tailored to the specific needs of females.
