The latest reason to follow a low-fat diet… keep Covid at bay!

There are more benefits to following a healthy low-fat diet than shedding pounds and shrinking a few pant sizes. Now scientists have discovered that eating less fat can also help protect you against infectious diseases such as Covid-19.

Researchers from the University of California – Riverside found “worrying” changes in gene expression – how your genes are physically expressed – in subjects who followed a high-fat diet.

The results of the study showed that high-fat diets increased gene expression of proteins in the body that are used by Covid spike proteins to enter and infect a host.

Senior author Frances Sladek, professor of cell biology at UCR, said: 'Rumor has it that plant-based diets are better for you, and in many cases that's true. However, a diet high in fat, even from a plant, is one case where this is simply not true.”

Researchers said their study shows that high-fat diets not only affect genes linked to obesity, colon cancer and irritable bowel syndrome, but that the diets also impact genes linked to the immune system, brain function and Covid risk. 19.

The study, published in Scientific Reports, saw researchers feed three groups of mice one of three diets in which at least 40 percent of calories came from fat: one based on saturated fat from coconut oil; one based on monounsaturated fat from a genetically modified soy oil; and one based on polyunsaturated fats from conventional soy oil.

The calorie and fat composition of the mouse diets closely resembles what experts say makes up a typical American diet. Although some fat is necessary, a diet should not consist of more than 10 to 15 percent fat.

Measurements taken from the mice were then compared to a control group that followed a low-fat diet.

Over the 24-week study period, it was found that, compared to a low-fat diet, all three groups of mice experienced “concerning changes in gene expression.”

Researchers analyzed genes in four parts of the mice's digestive systems and found “dysregulation” of genes in multiple tissues in the animals on each of the high-fat diets.

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The altered genes were involved in how the body metabolizes drugs, genes linked to irritable bowel disease and colon cancer, as well as genes that influence the bacterial composition of the gut and regulate susceptibility to infectious diseases such as Covid-19.

The results showed that all three high-fat diets increase gene expression of proteins used by Covid spike proteins to enter and infect the body, making it more susceptible to infection.

Genes related to the immune system became weaker and functioned more slowly in mice on a high-fat diet than in the control group of those on a low-fat diet.

Of the three types of diets, the coconut-based diet showed the greatest number of changes, followed by the conventional soybean oil.

The authors said the observed differences between the two soybean oils suggest that polyunsaturated fats play a role in the way genes are expressed.

Furthermore, the bacterial composition of the gut – the microbiome – was most changed in mice fed the soy oil diet.

Researchers expressed concern about the results because soybean oil is the most commonly consumed oil in the United States.

Co-author Sladek said: 'We saw that pattern recognition genes, genes that recognize infectious bacteria, took a hit.

'We saw that cytokine signaling genes took a hit, allowing the body to control inflammation.

“So it's a double whammy. These diets damage immune system genes in the host and also create an environment in which harmful gut bacteria can thrive.”

The team also found that the high-fat diets increase signs of stem cells in the colon, which may be a precursor to colon cancer.

Microbiologist Poonamjot Deol, co-first author of the study, assured people that one evening of enjoying a fatty meal will not do any harm, but years of unhealthy eating will have harmful consequences.

He added: 'Some people think, 'Oh, I'll just exercise more and everything will be fine', but eating this way regularly can affect your immune system and the way your brain functions.

'You may not be able to simply eliminate these effects.'