PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Research shows that the more chocolate you eat, the lower your body fat level is

2013-11-07
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Magdalena Cuenca-García
mmcuenca@ugr.es
34-958-243-540
University of Granada
Research shows that the more chocolate you eat, the lower your body fat level is

University of Granada researchers from the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences have scientifically disproven the old belief that eating chocolate is fattening. In an article published this week in the journal Nutrition, the authors have shown that higher consumption of chocolate is associated with lower levels of total fat (fat deposited all over the body) and central fat (abdominal), independently of whether or not the individual participates in regular physical activity and of diet, among other factors.

The researchers determined whether greater chocolate consumption associated with higher body mass index and other indicators of total and central body fat in adolescents participating in the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) study. This project, financed by the European Union, studies eating habits and lifestyle in young people in 9 European countries, including Spain.

Independent of diet and physical activity

The study involved 1458 adolescents aged between 12 and 17 years and results showed that a higher level of chocolate consumption associated with lower levels of total and central fat when these were estimated through body mass index, body fat percentage—measured by both skinfolds and bioelectrical impedance analysis—and waist circumference. These results were independent of the participant's sex, age, sexual maturation, total energy intake, intake of saturated fats, fruit and vegetables, consumption of tea and coffee, and physical activity.

As the principle author Magdalena Cuenca-García explains, although chocolate is considered a high energy content food—it is rich in sugars and saturated fats—"recent studies in adults suggest chocolate consumption is associated with a lower risk of cardiometabolic disorders".

In fact, chocolate is rich in flavonoids—especially catechins—which have many healthy properties: "they have important antioxidant, antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive effects and can help prevent ischemic heart disease".

Recently, another cross-sectional study in adults conducted by University of California researchers found that more frequent chocolate consumption also associated with a lower body mass index. What's more, these results were confirmed in a longitudinal study in women who followed a catechin-rich diet.

The effect could be partly due to the influence of catechins on cortisol production and on insulin sensitivity, both of which are related with overweight and obesity.

Calorie impact is not the only thing that matters

The University of Granada researchers have sought to go further and analyse the effect of chocolate consumption at a critical age like adolescence by also controlling other factors that could influence the accumulation of fat. The research, which is both novel and, perhaps, the largest and best-controlled study to date, is the first to focus on the adolescent population. It includes a large number of body measures, objective measurement of physical activity, detailed dietary recall with 2 non-consecutive 24-hour registers using image-based software, and controls for the possible effect of a group of key variables.

In Nutrition, the authors stress that the biological impact of foods should not be evaluated solely in terms of calories. "The most recent epidemiologic research focuses on studying the relation between specific foods—both for their calorie content and for their components—and the risk factors for developing chronic illnesses, including overweight and obesity".

Despite their results, the authors insist that chocolate consumption should always be moderate. "In moderate quantities, chocolate can be good for you, as our study has shown. But, undoubtedly, excessive consumption is prejudicial. As they say: you can have too much of a good thing".



INFORMATION:

The University of Granada researchers stress that their findings "are also important from a clinical perspective since they contribute to our understanding of the factors underlying the control and maintenance of optimal weight".

Reference:

Association between chocolate consumption and fatness in European adolescents
Magdalena Cuenca-García, Jonatan R. Ruiz, Francisco B. Ortega, Manuel J. Castillo
Nutrition (2013). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2013.07.011

Corresponding author:

Magdalena Cuenca-García
Department of Physiology Faculty of Medicine University of Granada
Telephone: +34 958 24 3540
E-mail address: mmcuenca@ugr.es



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Clotting protein hardens aging hearts

2013-11-07
Clotting protein hardens aging hearts Rice U. researchers link von Willebrand factor to heart-valve calcium deposits Heart valves calcify over time, and Rice University scientists are beginning to understand why. The Rice lab of bioengineer Jane Grande-Allen found through studies ...

Researchers build muscle in diseased mice; create human muscle cells in a dish

2013-11-07
Researchers build muscle in diseased mice; create human muscle cells in a dish New zebrafish technique quickly finds potential treatments for multiple diseases Skeletal muscle has proved to be very difficult to grow in patients with muscular dystrophy ...

A bio patch that can regrow bone

2013-11-07
A bio patch that can regrow bone Potential uses for dental, from implants to craniofacial defects Researchers at the University of Iowa have created a bio patch to regenerate missing or damaged bone by putting DNA into a nano-sized particle that delivers bone-producing ...

Grandiose narcissism reflects US presidents' bright and dark sides

2013-11-07
Grandiose narcissism reflects US presidents' bright and dark sides Narcissus, the physically flawless character of Greek mythology who wound up falling in love with his own reflection, hardly seems like a good role model. For those dreaming of becoming president ...

Carnegie Mellon researchers use inkblots to improve security of online passwords

2013-11-07
Carnegie Mellon researchers use inkblots to improve security of online passwords GOTCHA scheme could foil growing problem of automated brute force attacks PITTSBURGH—Carnegie Mellon University computer scientists have developed a new password system that incorporates ...

Researchers regrow hair, cartilage, bone, soft tissues

2013-11-07
Researchers regrow hair, cartilage, bone, soft tissues Enhancing cell metabolism was an unexpected key to tissue repair Young animals are known to repair their tissues effortlessly, but can this capacity be recaptured in adults? A new study from researchers ...

Calcium and vitamin D improve bone density in patients taking antiepileptic drugs

2013-11-07
Calcium and vitamin D improve bone density in patients taking antiepileptic drugs A recent prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial reports that calcium and vitamin D supplementation improves bone density in a group of male veterans with epilepsy who were treated ...

Obesity may limit overall function 2 years after shoulder replacement surgery

2013-11-07
Obesity may limit overall function 2 years after shoulder replacement surgery Obesity does not significantly impact short-term complications, outcomes Rosemont, Ill. –Patients with obesity undergo a disproportionately higher number of elective ...

Blocking the active site of thiolase

2013-11-07
Blocking the active site of thiolase This news release is available in German. Scientists at the University of Oulu, Finland, and at the Helmholtz Center Berlin (HZB) have shown the way to new directions ...

Online course improves physicians skill level for detecting skin cancer

2013-11-07
Online course improves physicians skill level for detecting skin cancer DETROIT – Primary care physicians who took an online training course about skin cancer detection significantly improved their skill to properly diagnose and manage benign and malignant ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Corpse flowers are threatened by spotty recordkeeping

Riding the AI wave toward rapid, precise ocean simulations

Are lifetimes of big appliances really shrinking?

Pink skies

Monkeys are world’s best yodellers - new research

Key differences between visual- and memory-led Alzheimer’s discovered

% weight loss targets in obesity management – is this the wrong objective?

An app can change how you see yourself at work

NYC speed cameras take six months to change driver behavior, effects vary by neighborhood, new study reveals

New research shows that propaganda is on the rise in China

Even the richest Americans face shorter lifespans than their European counterparts, study finds

Novel genes linked to rare childhood diarrhea

New computer model reveals how Bronze Age Scandinavians could have crossed the sea

Novel point-of-care technology delivers accurate HIV results in minutes

Researchers reveal key brain differences to explain why Ritalin helps improve focus in some more than others

Study finds nearly five-fold increase in hospitalizations for common cause of stroke

Study reveals how alcohol abuse damages cognition

Medicinal cannabis is linked to long-term benefits in health-related quality of life

Microplastics detected in cat placentas and fetuses during early pregnancy

Ancient amphibians as big as alligators died in mass mortality event in Triassic Wyoming

Scientists uncover the first clear evidence of air sacs in the fossilized bones of alvarezsaurian dinosaurs: the "hollow bones" which help modern day birds to fly

Alcohol makes male flies sexy

TB patients globally often incur "catastrophic costs" of up to $11,329 USD, despite many countries offering free treatment, with predominant drivers of cost being hospitalization and loss of income

Study links teen girls’ screen time to sleep disruptions and depression

Scientists unveil starfish-inspired wearable tech for heart monitoring

Footprints reveal prehistoric Scottish lagoons were stomping grounds for giant Jurassic dinosaurs

AI effectively predicts dementia risk in American Indian/Alaska Native elders

First guideline on newborn screening for cystic fibrosis calls for changes in practice to improve outcomes

Existing international law can help secure peace and security in outer space, study shows

Pinning down the process of West Nile virus transmission

[Press-News.org] Research shows that the more chocolate you eat, the lower your body fat level is