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Review
. 2014 Jul;100 Suppl 1(1):408S-11S.
doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.071332. Epub 2014 Jun 4.

Long-term associations of nut consumption with body weight and obesity

Chandra L Jackson  1 , Frank B Hu  1
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Review

Long-term associations of nut consumption with body weight and obesity

Chandra L Jackson et al. Am J Clin Nutr. .
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Abstract

There is some concern that the high-fat, energy-dense content of nuts may promote weight gain. Nuts, however, are rich in protein and dietary fiber, which are associated with increased satiety. They also contain high amounts of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytoesterols that may confer health benefits for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes delay and prevention. Therefore, it is important to determine the association between nut consumption and long-term weight change and disease risk to reach scientific consensus and to make evidence-based public health recommendations. Several cross-sectional analyses have shown an inverse association between higher nut consumption and lower body weight. In addition, several independent prospective studies found that increasing nut consumption was associated with lower weight gain over relatively long periods of time. Moreover, high consumption of nuts (especially walnuts) has been associated with lower diabetes risk. Therefore, regular consumption (approximately one handful daily) of nuts over the long term, as a replacement to less healthful foods, can be incorporated as a component of a healthy diet for the prevention of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Figures

FIGURE 1.
Average weight change associated with a 1-serving increase for each food or beverage over 4 y. Data are from Nurses’ Health Study (NHS): 50,422 women followed for 20 y (1986–2006); NHS II: 47,898 women followed for 12 y (1991–2003); and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study: 22,557 men followed for 20 y (1986–2006). All weight changes were adjusted simultaneously for age, baseline BMI, sleep duration, and changes in smoking status, physical activity, television watching, alcohol use, the dietary factors shown as well as butter, sweets/desserts, refined grains, cheese, fruit juice, low-fat skim milk, and diet (zero-calorie) soda. Decreased intake of a specific food item would be associated with the inverse weight changes. P < 0.001 for all dietary factors shown in this figure. Multivariable linear regression with robust variance accounting for within-individual repeated measures was used for statistical analyses. Adapted from reference . Left side of panel: black column, potato chips; dark-gray column, potatoes or fries; medium-gray column, sugar-sweetened beverages; light-gray column, unprocessed red meats; white column, processed meats. Right side of panel: black column, vegetables; dark-gray column, whole grains; medium-gray column, fruit; light-gray column, nuts; white column, yogurt.
FIGURE 2.
FIGURE 2.
Conceptual framework of potential mechanisms linking nut consumption to decreased body weight and weight gain.
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