Study Informs on Which Fruits and Veggies Best Prevent Weight Gain

Study Informs on Which Fruits and Veggies Best Prevent Weight Gain

Eating more foods high in certain flavonoids may help prevent weight gain over time for adults, according to findings from a study published online January 27 in the BMJ.

"We looked at seven different types of flavonoids, and we found that the classes that were associated with better weight maintenance were flavonol, anthocyanins, and flavonoid polymers," commented first author Monica Bertoia, MPH, PhD, research associate at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.

Fruits like apples, pears, and red berries represent the major sources of flavonoids, but they can also be found in some vegetables like red peppers, Dr Bertoia said.

The study is the first to look at links between intake of various flavonoid subclasses and weight gain. It included data on over 124,000 women and men in the United States who were followed for up to 24 years. Participants were aged 27 to 65 and came from all 50 states of the United States; they self-reported their weight, lifestyle habits, and recent medical diagnoses every 2 years between 1986 and 2011. They also documented their diet every 4 years using validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaires (FFQs).

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/857957