Eating fruit and vegetables with high levels of flavonoids may prevent weight gain, research suggests.
To examine the association between the dietary intake of seven flavonoid subclasses and weight change, researchers from Harvard Medical School and the University of East Anglia tracked 124,086 men and women, based in the United States, over 24 years.
The greatest association with preventing weight gain was linked to flavonoid subclasses of anthocyanins, flavonoid polymers, and flavonols.
Blueberries and strawberries were the main source of anthocyanins, and tea and onions were the main sources of flavonols.
The researchers said that losing or preventing even small amounts of weight gain can reduce risk of diabetes, cancer, hypertension and cardiovascular disease, and that the study results could provide guidance on which fruits and vegetables to choose for preventing weight gain.
According to the research, most people in the US consume less than one cup of fruit and fewer than two cups of vegetables daily. The study authors suggested this should be increased to two cups of fruit and two-and-a-half cups of vegetables a day. They added people might be able to maximize the health benefits of eating fruit and vegetables by choosing those with high levels of flavonoids, such as apples, pears, berries and peppers.
Story Source:
The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Nursing Standard. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Journal Reference:
Bertoia M et al (2016) Dietary flavonoid intake and weight maintenance: three prospective cohorts of 124086 US men and women followed for up to 24 years. BMJ. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/ bmj.i17
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