食用核桃對醫院員工心血管代謝危險因子與肥胖之影響

Walnuts are rich in nutrients and polyunsaturated fatty acids-mainly, linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid, a plant-based essential ω-3 fatty acid with anti-inflammatory and antiatherogenic effects. In this two-arm randomized control trial, we performed a nutrition intervention study to assess the effects of an 8-week walnut diet on the blood lipid profile, glycemic control, and adiposity. Data of a subject's height, body weight, adiposity index measurements (neck, waist, hip, and thigh circumferences), plasma lipid profile, and blood pressure (BP) were collected. In total, 33 subjects (23 in the walnut group and 10 in the non-walnut group) completed the trial. There were no statistical differences in waist circumference, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), or BP in the non-walnut group before and after the intervention. However, the waist circumference (-3.1 cm, p =0.001), total cholesterol (-12.4 mg/dL, p = 0.003), LDL-C (-8.9 mg/dL, p =0.028), non-HDL-C (-10.7 mg/dL, p =0.009), systolic BP (-4.8 mmHg, p =0.014), and diastolic BP (-3.3 mmHg, p =0.044) had significantly decreased after this 8-week intervention in the walnut group. This study showed that daily consumption of 56 g of walnuts for 8 weeks significantly reduced the waist circumference, plasma total-, LDL- and non-HDL-cholesterol, and BP in subjects with preferable characteristics, thus improving their cardiometabolic risk.