Eat fat, lose weight? Oh yeah. Consider this: By 2010 the International Obesity Taskforce estimates that almost 287 million youngsters will be obese.

Interestingly, new research from Sweden links more – rather than less – fat to lower body weight in children, as long as they’re eating healthy fats.

“Every third child in the study ate far too little unsaturated fat, above all too little omega-3 [fat],” reports dietician Malin Haglund Garemo in her dissertation research. “These children had significantly higher body weight [than those eating healthy fats].

This supports other studies that find obese children have shortages of omega 3,” she adds.

Recent research with teens shows similar results, linking lower levels of omega-3 fats (especially DHA, or docosahexaeonic acid) with greater abdominal fat (a marker for metabolic syndrome) in teens.

Since risk factors for metabolic syndrome, a precursor of Type 2 diabetes, can already be identified in healthy four-year-olds (the age studied in the Swedish research), it’s important for children and adolescents maintain adequate intake of omega-3s, while limiting their intake of saturated fats.

Other beneficial fats – at any age – include monounsaturated and medium-chain fatty acids in nuts, seeds, and their carefully processed oils.

To prevent weight gain and metabolic syndrome in children, it’s also important to limit their consumption of sweets and highly refined foods. [source: Taste for Life]