Flavonoids are bioactive compounds that comprise fruits, vegetables, and other nutrients that could influence body weight. However, the effect of intake of dietary flavonoids on weight maintenance is not clear. This study aims to investigate whether dietary intake of flavonoids is associated with weight change.
This prospective cohort study included a total of 124,086 men and women who were consuming dietary flavonoids. The amount of flavonoid consumption and its duration were recorded. Flavonoids included in this analysis were flavonols, flavones, flavanones, flavan-3-ols, anthocyanins, and flavonoid polymers. The primary outcome of the study was a self-reported change in weight over four-year time intervals.
The intake of flavonoids was inversely associated with weight gain over four-year intervals. Simultaneous lifestyle changes like diet, smoking, and physical activity were also included. These results were observed for all flavonoids included in the study. Pooled analysis suggested that the highest association was with anthocyanins, followed by flavonoid polymers and flavonoid polymers. The associations remained significant for anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and total flavonoid polymers, even after additional adjustment for fiber intake.
The research concluded that a higher intake of dietary flavonoid was associated with reduced weight gain, with the effect being the most significant with anthocyanins.
Ref: https://www.bmj.com/content/352/bmj.i17
