The effect of almonds consumption on anthropometric measurements and some blood parameters in overweight and obese females in a weight reduction program

Obesity is an important public health problem characterized by an excessive accumulation of body fat and is a major risk factor for a number of chronic diseases. This study aims to determine the effects of a balanced hypocaloric almond (30 g/day) enriched diet (AED) (intervention; almond group) in comparison to a balanced hypocaloric almond free diet (AFD) (control; almond and nut free group) on anthropometric measurements and some blood parameters in women with body mass index (BMI) above 25 kg/m2. Study was designed as a randomized controlled trial for 3-months and carried out on a total of 32 overweight (BMI: 25.0-29.9 kg/m2) and obese (BMI: ≥30 kg/m2) women, aged 25-50 years who were admitted to Kilometre Diet Consultation Center in Gaziantep. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups (16 intervention, with almond and 16 control, without almond) and individualized hipocaloric diets were planned, 30 g/day of almond was added to intervention group's diet as a snack considering the energy content. Demographic characteristics, nutritional habits, consumption frequency of foods and physical activity levels of subjects were determined by a questionnaire. 24-hour dietary intakes for 3 consecutive days (one day week-end) were recorded at the beginning, 1rd, 2nd, and 3rd months of the study. Anthropometric measurements (height, body weight, waist, hip and neck circumferences) were taken and body composition was determined by Bioelectrical Impedence Analysis (BIA), BMI, waist/hip circumference ratio (WHR) and waist circumference/height ratio (WHtR) were calculated. Routinly done biochemical and hematological analysis (fasting blood glucose, insulin level, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, total cholesterol, triglycerides, serum iron, hemoglobin, TSH, CRP, etc.) of the participants were made prior to and at the end (3rd month) of the study. At the beginning of the study no statistically significant difference was found between anthropometric measurements of intervention and control groups (p>0,05). Body weight, BMI, waist, hip circumferences, WHR, WHtR, percentage of body fat, body fat mass decreased significantly in almond and control groups compared with the beginning and 1rd, 2nd., 3rd months of the study (p=0,001). Statistically significant reduction in HbA1c and LDL-cholesterol levels in almond group (p<0,05) but not in control group (p>0,05) was determined. Statistically significant differences were found in insulin, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and HOMA-IR levels compared to the prior and end of study in both groups (p<0.05). Balanced hipocaloric diet caused weight loss and improvements in studied anthropometric and blood parameters in both groups, but better improvement was determined with almond enriched diet. In weight reduction diets addition of almond as a snack could be recommended as a healthy choice.