Flavonoid-Rich Foods Aid Weight Loss Efforts

Consuming foods that are rich in flavonoids—such as apples, berries, peppers, and onions—can help with weight maintenance and prevent obesity, according to new research.

Flavonoids—including flavan-3-ol, which is found in green tea—are known to aid in weight loss. Yet with more than 6000 types of flavonoids present in fruits and vegetables, researchers wanted to identify the specific types of flavonoids that prevent weight gain over time.
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To conduct their study, researchers administered questionnaires to 124,086 participants aged 27-65 in 3 prospective cohort studies across the United States from 1986 to 2011.

Participants completed questionnaires that tracked their intake of dietary flavonols, flavones, flavanones, flavan-3-ols, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins and flavonoid polymers every 4 years and completed a questionnaire that recorded their weight, lifestyle habits, and disease diagnoses every 2 years.

Overall, consumption of higher levels of most flavonoids was inversely associated with weight change after adjusting for changes in other lifestyle factors. Anthocyanins, flavonoid polymers, and flavonols had the greatest association to weight change among the flavonoid subclasses.

“These data may help to refine previous dietary recommendations for the prevention of obesity and its potential consequences,” researchers concluded.

“Beyond increasing intake to current recommendations of 2 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables per day, people may be able to maximize their health benefit by including optimal fruits and vegetables in their daily diets.”

--Amanda Balbi

Reference:

Bertoia ML, Rimm EB, Mukamal KJ, et al. Dietary flavonoid intake and weight maintenance: three prospective cohorts of 124,086 US men and women followed for up to 24 years. BMJ. Published January 28, 2016. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i17.