Avocado Intake, and Longitudinal Weight and Body Mass Index Changes in an Adult Cohort.

Celine Heskey,Joan Sabaté,Keiji Oda

doi:10.3390/nu11030691

Abstract

Avocados contain nutrients and bioactive compounds that may help reduce the risk of becoming overweight/obese. We prospectively examined the effect of habitual avocado intake on changes in weight and body mass index (BMI). In the Adventist Health Study (AHS-2), a longitudinal cohort (~55,407; mean age ~56 years; U.S. and Canada), avocado intake (standard serving size 32 g/day) was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Self-reported height and weight were collected at baseline. Self-reported follow-up weight was collected with follow-up questionnaires between four and 11 years after baseline. Using the generalized least squares (GLS) approach, we analyzed repeated measures of weight in relation to avocado intake. Marginal logistic regression analyses were used to calculate the odds of becoming overweight/obese, comparing low (>0 to <32 g/day) and high (≥32 g/day) avocado intake to non-consumers (reference). Avocado consumers who were normal weight at baseline, gained significantly less weight than non-consumers. The odds (OR (95% CI)) of becoming overweight/obese between baseline and follow-up was 0.93 (0.85, 1.01), and 0.85 (0.60, 1.19) for low and high avocado consumers, respectively. Habitual consumption of avocados may reduce adult weight gain, but odds of overweight/obesity are attenuated by differences in initial BMI values.

Highlights

The current prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States (U.S.) is 70.7% and 37.9%, respectively, among adults [1]
Among individuals with a normal body mass index (BMI) at baseline, avocado consumers’ weight and BMI increased at a lower rate than non-consumers
We found that avocado consumers ≥60 years of age, had less of a tendency to lose weight and BMI over time compared to non-consumers

Summary

Introduction

The current prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States (U.S.) is 70.7% and 37.9%, respectively, among adults [1]. Nutrient-dense, whole food choices may help to abate adult weight gain and reduce the risk of overweight or obesity. A nutrient-dense and medium-caloric-dense whole food [7,8,9], may help to reduce the risk of weight gain and excess adiposity. Dietary fiber may reduce the risk of weight gain due to various mechanisms including improving satiety, and inhibition of fat absorption [12,13]. Diets rich in MUFAs have been found to prevent the gain of fat-mass, or contribute to loss of excess adiposity [16,17,18]. There is evidence to suggest that avocados may improve satiety, and reduce hunger and food consumption [19], Nutrients 2019, 11, 691; doi:10.3390/nu11030691 www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients

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