Using the protein leverage hypothesis to understand socioeconomic variation in obesity.

Abstract in brief

• The study tests the protein leverage hypothesis (PLH), which suggests that low dietary protein proportion leads to increased energy intake and obesity, and investigates if this explains differences in obesity rates among socioeconomic groups.
• The research found that absolute protein intake was roughly the same across low, middle, and high socioeconomic status (SES) women in Costa Rica, but the proportion of protein in the diet was inversely related to total energy intake in middle and high SES groups.
• These findings support the PLH and indicate that the relationship between diet composition and energy intake varies by SES, highlighting the need for further research in real-world settings to understand protein leverage's role in socioeconomic obesity disparities.