Abstract
Obesity is exponentially increasing regardless of its preventable characteristics. The current measures for preventing obesity have failed to address the severity and prevalence of obesity, so alternative approaches based on nutritional and diet changes are attracting attention for the treatment of obesity. Fruit contains large amounts of simple sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose, etc.), which are well known to induce obesity. Thus, considering the amount of simple sugars found in fruit, it is reasonable to expect that their consumption should contribute to obesity rather than weight reduction. However, epidemiological research has consistently shown that most types of fruit have anti-obesity effects. Thus, due to their anti-obesity effects as well as their vitamin and mineral contents, health organizations are suggesting the consumption of fruit for weight reduction purposes. These contradictory characteristics of fruit with respect to human body weight management motivated us to study previous research to understand the contribution of different types of fruit to weight management. In this review article, we analyze and discuss the relationships between fruit and their anti-obesity effects based on numerous possible underlying mechanisms, and we conclude that each type of fruit has different effects on body weight.
Highlights
The significant enhancement in food production during the agriculture revolution in the 18th and early 19th centuries has resolved the problem of famine to an extent, which had constantly threatened the survival of the human species, but paradoxically, modern humans are living in an era when easy access to the energy-dense food is a concern because continuous intake of an energy-dense diet positively influences the body–energy equilibrium and can cause obesity
Previous studies of the effects of fruit on obesity have shown that their anti-obesity effects are greater than their pro-obesity effects in most cases, as demonstrated in this review
The final outcomes of these anti-obesity studies support the inclusion of higher amounts of fruit in our daily food intake to reduce weight, as well as promote a healthy life style by increasing physical activity and reducing the intake of sugar and fat
Summary
The significant enhancement in food production during the agriculture revolution in the 18th and early 19th centuries has resolved the problem of famine to an extent, which had constantly threatened the survival of the human species, but paradoxically, modern humans are living in an era when easy access to the energy-dense food is a concern because continuous intake of an energy-dense diet positively influences the body–energy equilibrium and can cause obesity. Policies and environmental changes contribute to weight management In this context, increasing fruit and vegetable intake is widely recommended for preventing and/or treating obesity [13,14,15]. It was shown that the consumption of whole fruit contributes to a reduced risk of long-term weight gain in adults by reducing the total energy intake [31]. Considering that the overconsumption of simple sugars is one of the main causes of obesity and related diseases [33,34,35], it is perhaps surprising that the consumption of fruit is associated with anti-obesity in most cases. We included studies that showed the link between fruit consumption and obesity, thereby providing insights into how simple sugar-rich fruits may contribute to anti-obesity
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