Avocados Can Alter Fat Distribution In Women, Study Suggests

Content Executive3 years ago

A recent study by researchers at the University of Illinois has revealed that women who consume an avocado a day had a reduction in a specific type of abdominal fat.

The Study

The study observed 105 overweight and obese adults. They participated in a randomised control trial that provided one meal a day for 12 weeks to the participants.

According to the study, there are two types of fat in the abdomen.¹ One being right under the skin and known as subcutaneous fat, the other fat is situated deeper in the abdomen, surrounding the internal organs, which is known as visceral fat.¹ Research has suggested that increased levels of visceral fat increased the risk of diabetes.¹

The participants were split into two groups. One group were provided with a meal a day containing fresh avocado. The other group were provided with the same meal but containing no avocado.

Prior to and at the end of the study, the researchers measured the participants’ abdominal fat and glucose tolerance, an indicator of diabetes, to understand how avocados affect abdominal fat.¹

The Results

According to the study, the female participants saw a reduction in visceral abdominal fat and also saw a reduction in the ratio of visceral fat to subcutaneous fat, whereas the male participants saw no change.1 However, no participants, regardless of gender, saw improvements in glucose tolerance.¹

Whilst the research has been valuable in allowing light to be shed on the fact that gender plays a role in dietary intervention responses, more research needs to be carried out to understand the full impact that avocados have on body fat and health.

Take Home Message

Great news, avo toast all day every day! No, but seriously, it may be worth adding some more avocado into your diet. Whilst this specific study has highlighted the benefits for females, that’s not to say that males should steer clear. Avocados are still believed to be nutrient-rich and may even benefit your heart and cholesterol², so fill your boots, within reason...

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Our articles should be used for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be taken as medical advice. If you're concerned, consult a health professional before taking dietary supplements or introducing any major changes to your diet.

Emily Wilcock

Content Executive

After completing an internship with Myprotein, Emily returned to university to finish her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and Marketing. With experience in lifestyle writing, Emily aims to entertain and educate through her work. Her focuses include recipes, real and inspiring stories, and working with writers to help provide easy-to-digest evidence-based research. Her work on recipes has been previously featured in The Supplement magazine, with a particular focus on high-protein, nutritious meals, plus advice on how to properly fuel your body. Outside of work, Emily’s top priority is food. She’s a self-professed star baker and a connoisseur of all things baked. In her spare time, she’s either cooking up a storm, our looking out for the opportunity to try out Manchester’s newest restaurants. But as a huge fan of carbs, if it’s not pasta or pasta-adjacent, she’s not interested. If she’s not in the kitchen, she’s tucked up with a book for an early night, or you’ll find her in the gym working up a sweat. Afterall, all those carbs require quite the appetite.