Controlled studies have found that avocado can change the distribution of belly fat in women

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is a major global public health challenge, currently affecting approximately 70% of adults in the United States

Regular consumption of nutrient-rich natural foods can be used as a non-drug method to change the distribution of adipose tissue and reduce the metabolic effects of obesity

A 12-week randomized controlled weight loss study showed that avocados can also be used as part of a low-calorie diet weight loss plan

A new study by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and its collaborators shows that an avocado a day helps women redistribute belly fat and make them healthier

105 overweight and obese adults participated in a randomized controlled trial that provided one meal a day for 12 consecutive weeks

The research was funded by the Hass Avocado Committee, and the researchers published their results in the Journal of Nutrition

"The goal is not to lose weight; what we are interested in is the effect of eating avocado on the way an individual stores body fat

"In the abdomen, there are two types of fat: one is the fat that accumulates under the skin, called subcutaneous fat, and the other is the fat that accumulates deep in the abdomen, called visceral fat, which surrounds the internal organs

The participants were divided into two groups

At the beginning and end of the 12 weeks, the researchers measured the participants’ abdominal fat and glucose tolerance, which is a metabolic indicator and a sign of diabetes

Female participants who consumed avocado daily as part of their diet had reduced visceral abdominal fat (difficult to target fat associated with high risk), and a decreased ratio of visceral fat to subcutaneous fat, indicating a redistribution of fat from organs

Khan said: “Although daily consumption of avocado does not change glucose tolerance, what we have learned is that the daily consumption of avocado diet affects the way individuals store body fat in a healthy way, but the benefits are mainly for women.

The researchers stated that they hope to carry out a follow-up study to provide participants with all their daily meals and to study other markers of gut health and physical health to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the metabolic effects of avocado consumption and identify men and women.

"Our research not only reveals the benefits of daily consumption of avocados on the different fat distributions of different genders, but also provides a basis for us to carry out further research to understand the overall impact of avocados on body fat and health," the co-author of the study Said Richard Mackenzie, professor of human metabolism at Roehampton University in London

DOI 10.
1093/jn/nxab187