The large-scale study, published on Wednesday in the International Journal of Epidemiology, was carried out by scientists from the University of Glasgow, who looked at data from 132,479 people from across the UK. After analyzing the results the team found that the strongest predictors of body mass index (BMI, a measure of obesity) were overall calories consumed and calories from fat. Although sugar and sugar-laden products can significantly increase calorie intake, and with minimal nutritional benefit, the researchers now believe that the focus should be on cutting overall calories, including those from fat, and not just those from sugar.