Effect of dietary intervention with a legume-based food product on malondialdehyde levels, HOMA index, and lipid profile.

INTRODUCTION

Prevalence of overweight and obesity, a condition that promotes development of chronic degenerative diseases, has increased in Mexico in recent years. Implementation of strategies to increase daily consumption of vegetables, legumes, whole grain cereals, and fruits by the population will result in an adequate intake of soluble fiber, antioxidants, protein of vegetable origin, and vitamins.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of a commercial food product prepared using 6 legumes on some anthropometric and biochemical parameters in apparently healthy subjects.

METHODS

A randomized dietary intervention trial where subjects in the study group received for three months 15g of the product, administered daily in periods of five days with two days of rest. Before and after intervention, anthropometric and dietary assessments were performed, and serum glucose, lipid profile, insulin, ultrasensitive C-reactive protein, malondialdehyde (MDA) and insulin resistance (HOMA index) were measured. A Mann-Whitney U test was used and values of P<0.05 were considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

Sixty university students were included in the study (53% males). At the end of the intervention, decreases were seen in serum glucose levels (P=0.001), MDA (P=0.001) and HOMA index (P=0.017), but there were no significant changes in all other parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

Daily intake of 15g of the legume-based food product improved serum glucose and malondialdehyde levels in the study group, as well as insulin resistance; which could be attributed to the presence of polyphenols and isoflavones such as genistein in legumes.