Study Shows Tree Nuts Reduce Metabolic Syndrome Risk in Young Adults
New findings from Vanderbilt University Medical Center published in the journal Nutrients
A recent study published online in the journal, Nutrients[1], suggests daily tree nut consumption reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetSx) by improving waist circumference, lipid biomarkers, and/or insulin levels, without requiring calorie restriction, in young adults.
In a randomized, parallel arm, dietary intervention study design, researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center enrolled 84 men and women, ages 22-36, most of whom were either overweight or obese (BMI 24.5 to 34.9 kg/m2) and had at least one MetSx risk factor at baseline (abdominal obesity, elevated triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, or elevated levels of blood glucose). Participants consumed either one ounce of mixed unsalted tree nuts or one ounce of a carbohydrate-rich snack twice daily. Both snacks provided the same number of calories, protein, fiber, and sodium and were part of a 7-day eucaloric weight maintenance menu that repeated throughout the study duration of 16 weeks.