Changes in folate status in overweight/obese women following two different weight control programmes based on an increased consumption of vegetables or fortified breakfast cereals

• Published in: British journal of nutrition Vol. 96; no. 4; pp. 712 - 718
• Main Authors: Ortega, R. M., López-Sobaler, A. M., Andrés, P., Rodríguez-Rodríguez, E., Aparicio, A., Bermejo, L. M., López-Plaza, B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.10.2006
• Subjects: Acids; Adult; adults; anthropometric measurements; Anthropometry; Biological and medical sciences; Birth defects; blood chemistry; Body weight; breakfast cereals; Breakfast foods; Cereals; Diet; Diet, Reducing; Disease control; Disease prevention; Eating; Edible Grain; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Folic acid; Folic Acid - blood; food intake; Food, Fortified; fortified foods; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health services; Homocysteine; Homocysteine - blood; Humans; low calorie diet; nutrient-nutrient interactions; Nutrition research; nutritional status; Obesity; Obesity - blood; Obesity - diet therapy; Obesity - physiopathology; Overweight; Public health; University students; Vegetables; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Vitamin B; Weight control; weight control programs; Weight Loss; women; Womens health; Young women; Madrid Spain; Spain; Obesity; Homocysteine; Young women; Folic acid; Overweight; Human; Vegetables; Breakfast cereals; Nutrition disorder; Change; Folic acid: Young women: Overweight: Obesity: Homocysteine; Folate; Weight; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Homocystein; Food intake; Female; Nutritional status
• ISSN: 0007-1145; 1475-2662
• DOI: 10.1079/BJN20061856

The modification of folate status was analysed in a group of sixty-seven overweight/obese women of childbearing age (20–35 years). Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two slightly hypocaloric diets: diet V (increased consumption of vegetables) or diet C (increased consumption of breakfast cereals). Dietetic, anthropometric and biochemical data were collected at the start of the study and again at 2 and 6 weeks. At 6 weeks a weight loss of 2·0 (sd 1·3) kg was achieved in V subjects and of 2·8 (sd 1·4) kg in C subjects (P<0·05). At the start of the study, 64·2 % of all subjects had a folate intake of <67 % of the recommended intake; this fell to just 3 % (7·14 % of V subjects and 0 % of C subjects) by week 6. Significant increases were only seen in C subjects in serum folate concentrations (both at 2 and 6 weeks), accompanied by a significant reduction in serum homocysteine (at week 6). Some 62·1 % of all subjects had serum folate concentrations of ≥13·6 nmol/l (associated with a very low risk of neural tube defects) at the start of the study, while 87·0 % (85·2 % of V subjects and 88·9 % of C subjects) had concentrations of ≥13·6 nmol/l at 6 weeks (P<0·01). Increasing the relative consumption of vegetables/cereals in the context of a slightly hypocaloric diet may therefore be a good way to lose body weight. Breakfast cereals may be of special help with respect to folate status and serum homocysteine levels in overweight/obese young women following energy restriction diets.