The relationship between fruits consumption and body composition in postmenopausal women

Abstract

After the onset of menopause, women experience excess body weight gain due to adiposity. The present study evaluated the relationship between fruit consumption, total body weight, and lean mass in postmenopausal women. One hundred and sixty postmenopausal (≤ 10 years) women participated in this study. Participants were randomized into two groups: dried apple or dried plum in a parallel control study. Women consumed either 75 grams of dried apple or the equivalent amount of dried plum for one year. The results of this study are presented below. Relative changes in body weight and lean mass Measures Dried Apple Dried Plum Change in Body Weight(kg) *−1.5 −0.5 Change in Lean Mass(kg) *+0.457 +0.244 The relative changes are statistically significant (P<0.05) in comparison with corresponding baseline values. Although consumption of both fruits reduced mean body weights, these decreases reached significance only in those who consumed dried apple. The mean value of relative changes of lean mass in the dried apple group was significantly higher compared to its corresponding baseline value (1.20%). Women in the dried plum group also gained 0.65% lean mass, albeit not significantly. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that postmenopausal women can benefit from consuming either of the fruits as these fruits are associated with improved cardiovascular health and bone health.United States Department of AgricultureCalifornia Dried Plum Board