Snack selection influences glucose metabolism, antioxidant capacity and cholesterol in healthy overweight adults: A randomized parallel arm trial

Abstract

Including carbohydrate/fructose-rich foods (predominantly fruit) in the diets of overweight individuals can improve chronic disease risk factors. We hypothesized dried plums (DP) would improve nutrient consumption, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), lipid and adipokine profiles, and would decrease adiposity and inflammation. To test this, we studied the effects of 8-weeks of twice-daily snacking of macronutrient-matched 100 kcal servings of DP or refined carbohydraterich snack (low-fat muffins: LFM) on daily energy and nutrient consumption, and chronic disease risk factors in overweight adults. Body weight/composition, waist circumference, blood pressure, plasma glucose, insulin, c-peptide, lipids, TAC, adipokines and inflammation were measured at baseline and throughout the study. Postprandial glucose and insulin were assessed following assigned test foods at baseline and 8-weeks. Repeated measures ANOVAs were undertaken to examine group and time differences. Post-hoc independent and paired samples t-tests were conducted where necessary. DP increased (P < .05) overall intake of dietary fiber and potassium, and TAC, from baseline to 8-weeks. Baseline postprandial glycemia tended (P = .09) to be lower with DP versus LFM, while both groups had a decreased response after 8-weeks. Postprandial insulinemia was lower (P < .05) for DP at both time-points. No differences in body weight/ composition, blood pressure, or fasting glucose, insulin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-C, inflammation or adipokines were detected. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) increased (P < .05) throughout the trial following LFM. Overall, DP lessened postprandial insulinemia, improved nutrient consumption and plasma TAC, and maintained plasma LDL-C compared to a macronutrient-matched refined carbohydrate snack, which could decrease chronic disease risk.

Dried fruit consumption and cardiometabolic health: a randomised crossover trial

“…The conflicting results in these studies v. ours and that of Peterson et al (24) are not easily explained. Our trial was comparable in duration and fruit dose to Tinker et al (23) , and while elevated LDL-cholesterol was not an essential criterion for enrolment in our study, participants' mean baseline LDL-cholesterol was classifiable as 'above optimal' (≥2•6 mmol/l) (41) and exceeded that of participants in the study by Clayton et al (29) . Thus, differences in duration or baseline health of participants do not fully explain why LDL-cholesterol was not reduced by dried fruits in our study.…”

“…An important distinction between the trials that report LDL-cholesterol-lowering with dried fruit consumption (23,29) v. our trial and that of Peterson et al (24) is maintenance of energy balance. In the study by Peterson et al (24) , mean energy intake increased by about 837 kJ/d (200 kcal/d) while consuming figs, compared with participants' usual diets.…”

“…A numerically small increase from baseline (0•03 mmol/l) was observed with plum consumption but, considering the CI of the estimate, was not statistically significant. Likewise, Clayton et al (29) reported 0•63 mmol/l lower LDL-cholesterol after normocholesterolaemic overweight and obese adults (mean baseline LDLcholesterol 2•03-2•04 mmol/l) consumed two 418 kJ (100 kcal) servings (84 g) of dried plums daily for 8 weeks (n 26) v. the control group that consumed energy-matched low-fat muffins (n 23), though changes from baseline were not significant.…”

“…Single fruit interventions were used in previous studies, which limits the generalisability of findings and contrasts with the recommendation to consume a variety of fruits (9) . Furthermore, most trials have utilised a parallel design with small sample sizes, making it difficult to distinguish within-person from between-person variation (25,26,28,29) . Therefore, we conducted a randomised crossover trial to determine the effect of daily consumption of mixed dried fruits, compared with energy-and carbohydrate-matched snacks, on cardiometabolic risk factors in adults with elevated baseline risk.…”

Using Microlending to Achieve SDG 2: A Qualitative Exploration of the Nutrition-Related Impacts of Microlending Participation in Manila, Philippines

“…Though the data collected in this study are largely qualitative, the 24-h dietary recall data provided us with a detailed understanding of the type, quantity, and frequency of the foods that individuals were consuming. We Fitness Software, a validated product designed by ESHA Research [34] that has been used in many cross-cultural diet-related research studies [35][36][37]. This nutrient analysis software utilizes multiple verified nutrient databases to allow users to input the type and quantity of food/beverage that participants' consumed and to be able to subsequently view the amount of both macro-and micro-nutrients ingested.…”