Document Detail


Effects of walnut consumption on blood lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors: a meta-analysis and systematic review.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19458020     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: Consumption of nuts has been associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease events and death. Walnuts in particular have a unique profile: they are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which may improve blood lipids and other cardiovascular disease risk factors. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to conduct a literature review and a meta-analysis to combine the results from several trials and to estimate the effect of walnuts on blood lipids. DESIGN: Literature databases were searched for published trials that compared a specifically walnut-enhanced diet with a control diet. We conducted a random-effects meta-analysis of weighted mean differences (WMDs) of lipid outcomes. RESULTS: Thirteen studies representing 365 participants were included in the analysis. Diets lasted 4-24 wk with walnuts providing 10-24% of total calories. When compared with control diets, diets supplemented with walnuts resulted in a significantly greater decrease in total cholesterol and in LDL-cholesterol concentrations (total cholesterol: WMD = -10.3 mg/dL, P < 0.001; LDL cholesterol: WMD = -9.2 mg/dL, P < 0.001). HDL cholesterol and triglycerides were not significantly affected by walnut diets more than with control diets (HDL cholesterol: WMD = -0.2, P = 0.8; triglycerides: WMD = -3.9, P = 0.3). Other results reported in the trials indicated that walnuts provided significant benefits for certain antioxidant capacity and inflammatory markers and had no adverse effects on body weight [body mass index (kg/m(2)): WMD = -0.4, P = 0.5; weight (kg): WMD = -0.05, P = 0.97]. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, high-walnut-enriched diets significantly decreased total and LDL cholesterol for the duration of the short-term trials. Larger and longer-term trials are needed to address the effects of walnut consumption on cardiovascular risk and body weight.
Authors:
Deirdre K Banel; Frank B Hu
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Meta-Analysis; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2009-05-20
Journal Detail:
Title:  The American journal of clinical nutrition     Volume:  90     ISSN:  1938-3207     ISO Abbreviation:  Am. J. Clin. Nutr.     Publication Date:  2009 Jul 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2009-06-22     Completed Date:  2009-07-08     Revised Date:  2010-09-27    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0376027     Medline TA:  Am J Clin Nutr     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  56-63     Citation Subset:  AIM; IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA. dbanel@hsph.harvard.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Cardiovascular Diseases / prevention & control*
Cholesterol / blood*
Cholesterol, LDL / blood*
Diet
Female
Humans
Juglans*
Lipids / blood*
Male
Reference Values
Risk Factors
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
HL60712/HL/NHLBI NIH HHS
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Cholesterol, LDL; 0/Lipids; 57-88-5/Cholesterol
Comments/Corrections

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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