The Battle Over Unhealthy Food's Impact on Weight Gain.
There is a debate in the academic community about why consuming ultra-processed foods leads to excess body fat. One model, the energy balance model, focuses on caloric intake, while the other, the carbohydrate-insulin model, focuses on carbohydrates. While the two models are not mutually exclusive, most science-based clinicians don't believe in the carbohydrate-insulin model. Instead, they focus on energy balance and adherence to a healthy diet. The takeaway for the average person is to focus on eating whole foods that are more difficult to overeat and naturally lower in refined carbs.