MANILA, Philippines — The results of a 20-year study of what we eat carried out by five public health experts at Harvard University was recently released to the international press. Most of it merely confirmed what we already know, but there were some surprises.

Since exercise has been accepted over the past decade or more as a principal means of controlling weight (a theory I subscribe to), it was a surprise to learn that according to this research, it is the kind of food you eat rather than how much exercise you get that has the greatest impact on your weight.

The chief culprit in adding pounds is still French fried potatoes, potato chips, and all forms of potato. On the list of foods to avoid are fried foods, red meat, sweetened juices and beverages, desserts and sweets.

A diet that is high in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains can help with weight loss, as we already knew, and is also helpful in maintaining your desired weight. To lose weight, three or more servings of vegetables and fruits each day is recommended.

The surprise concerned dairy products. It’s been assumed all along that low-fat-milk is the dieter’s delight, and that anything with a cream content adds pounds. But in this study, an increased consumption of dairy products, even including whole milk (with cream) and cheese made from whole milk had a neutral affect on one’s weight, neither gain or loss.

Weight loss was greatest when people ate more yogurt and nuts, including peanut butter, since both yogurt and peanut butter satisfy’s one’s appetite and decrease hunger.

Sleep patterns also, apparently, influence weight gain and loss. People who sleep less than six hours a night are more likely to gain weight. There was no scientific answer for this. The educated guess was that it is because people who spend less time in bed have more time to eat.

Drinking alcoholic beverages, predictably, was found to put on weight. However, a daily glass of wine had no effect.