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Abstract

Introduction: The growing prevalence of obesity and related type 2 diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions in the Gulf countries. Oxidative damage and inflammation are possible mechanisms linking obesity to diabetes and other related complications, including cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Aims: To measure the effects of increased fruit and vegetable consumption on body weight, waist circumference, oxidative damage, and inflammatory markers.

Materials and Methods: We recruited and followed up with 965 community free-living subjects. All recruited subjects had fruit and vegetable intakes, physical activity, antioxidants, and markers of oxidative damage and inflammation measured at baseline and follow up. A validated, semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire was used to assess subjects’ fruit and vegetable consumption. We stratified subjects based on their daily fruit and vegetable consumption and compared metabolic risk factors between those with high fruit and vegetable consumption and those with low consumption. A multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the independent effects of fruit and vegetable intake on changes in body weight and waist circumference (WC).

Results: A total of 965 community free-living subjects (801 (83%) females, mean (SD) age 39 ± 12 years) were recruited and followed up with for a mean (SD) period of 427 ± 223 days. Using WHO cut-off points for body mass index (BMI), 284 (30%) subjects were overweight and 584 (62%) obese, compared to 69 (8%) at normal body weight. An increased fruit and vegetable consumption was associated with a significant decrease in inflammatory markers (hs CRP, TNF-α) and oxidative damage markers (TBARs) and with increased antioxidant enzymes (catalase, glutathione peroxidase) compared to a low consumption (p < 0.05). The benefits of an increased fruit and vegetable consumption in obese subjects was independent of changes in body weight and WC and was maintained at follow up.

Conclusion: Our results support the beneficial role of a higher fruit and vegetable intake in obese subjects independent of changes in body weight and WC.

I'd love to see a control for raw vs cooked to see what kind of impact each of them have

I'm curious what they did with regard to alcohol intake they measured. Not to invalidate anything about it, but one of the target metrics was glutathione, and the other two are also less affected by alcohol consumption but still are. Might be interesting to see if there's any correlation, as eating more healthfully in the west at least tends to also correlate at least somewhat with decreased alcohol consumption.

And fruit / veg / combo. I've read stuff that says fruits aren't good due to fructose "fattening us up for winter" and would love to see if that's pseudoscience or real.

Sounds like hogwash to me. A plethora of fruits are available in spring and summer, as well as in tropical regions where hibernation isn't really a concern.

If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say that the biggest "detriment" from fructose intake would be if one were to have so much that their insoluble fiber to sugar ratio were such that their gut biome destabilized

I ated too many fruit. Now I got to potty a bunch.

You may have to potty a bunch but thanks to the power of fiber it is now one solidly jointed log!

Honestly, just test it yourself. Eat only raw fruit for however long, see if you get fat. You won’t.

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OK, now I’m imagining Scotty watching as all the dials go into the red zone, just being on the comm to the bridge/brain saying “The gut biome is destabilizing, Cap’n! The fibre and sugar ratio is unstable! If this keeps up, we’re goinga blow!”