Effect of nuts on components of metabolic syndrome in healthy adults with overweight/obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)
Year Published: 2022
Journal
Nutr Metab
Authors
Omid Eslami 1 , Fatemeh Khorramrouz 2 , Mohammadhassan Sohouli 3 , Niloofar Bagheri 4 , Farzad Shidfar 5 , Maria Luz Fernandez 6
Methods
Aims: Randomized controlled trials evaluating the effects of nut consumption on the metabolic profile of healthy adults with overweight/obesity have yielded conflicting results. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize the effects of incorporating nuts into the diet on serum lipid profile, glycemic markers, and blood pressure in healthy adults with overweight/obesity. Data synthesis: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched up to April 2021. The random-effects model was used to determine the pooled effect sizes expressed as weighted mean difference (WMD) with % 95 confidence intervals (CIs). Ten eligible RCTs (with 12 arms) were included in the meta-analysis.
Key Findings
Key Findings: The meta-analysis revealed that nut intake significantly decreased serum triglycerides (TG) (WMD: -13.19 mg/dL, 95% CI: - 25.90, - 0.48). Furthermore, subgroup analysis showed a significant reduction in serum LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) following adherence to normocaloric, nut-enriched diets (WMD: - 4.56 mg/dL, 95% CI: - 8.24, - 0.88). However, nuts did not affect serum total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glycemic markers, and blood pressure. Conclusions: Overall, incorporating nuts into the diet of healthy adults with overweight/obesity have favorable effects on serum TG and LDL-C. Thus, nuts might exert protective effects against dyslipidemia in this population.