Effects of walnut intake on anthropometric characteristics: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Fang Z 1 , Dang M 2 , Zhang W 2 , Wang Y 3 , Kord-Varkaneh H 4 , Nazary-Vannani A 5 Show all authors , O Santos H 6 , Tan SC 7 , C T Clark C 8 , Zanghelini F 9 , Borges do Nascimento IJ 10 , Yang Y 11

Affiliations 

  • 1 Gynecological First Disease Area, Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi City, Shandong Province, 276000, China
  • 2 Innoscience Research Sdn Bhd, Subang Jaya, 47650, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 3 Subject Innovation Team of Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, Shaanxi, 712046, China
  • 4 Student Research Committee, Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • 5 Department of Cellular and Molecular Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Students' Scientific Research Center (SSRC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
  • 6 School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlandia (UFU), Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
  • 7 UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 8 Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Coventry, CV15FB, UK
  • 9 Postgraduate Program in Therapeutic Innovation, Federal University of Pernambuco, Pernambuco, Brazil
  • 10 University Hospital and School of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
  • 11 Department of Endocrinology, Xi'an Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, 710021, China. Electronic address: yangyongmei2@sina.com
Complement Ther Med, 2020 May;50:102395.
PMID: 32444054 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102395

Abstract

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Effects of walnut intake on anthropometric measurements have been inconsistent among clinical studies. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to evaluate and quantify the effects of walnut intake on anthropometric characteristics.

METHODS: We carried out a systematic search of all available RCTs up to June 2019 in the following electronic databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar. Pooled weight mean difference (WMD) of the included studies was estimated using random-effects model.

RESULTS: A total of 27 articles were included in this meta-analysis, with walnuts dosage ranging from 15 to 108 g/d for 2 wk to 2 y. Overall, interventions with walnut intake did not alter waist circumference (WC) (WMD: -0.193 cm, 95 % CI: -1.03, 0.64, p = 0.651), body weight (BW) (0.083 kg, 95 % CI: -0.032, 0.198, p = 0.159), body mass index (BMI) (WMD: -0.40 kg/m,295 % CI: -0.244, 0.164, p = 0.703), and fat mass (FM) (WMD: 0.28 %, 95 % CI: -0.49, 1.06, p = 0.476). Following dose-response evaluation, reduced BW (Coef.= -1.62, p = 0.001), BMI (Coef.= -1.24, p = 0.041) and WC (Coef.= -5.39, p = 0.038) were significantly observed through walnut intake up to 35 g/day. However, the number of studies can be limited as to the individual analysis of the measures through the dose-response fashion.

CONCLUSIONS: Overall, results from this meta-analysis suggest that interventions with walnut intake does not alter BW, BMI, FM, and WC. To date, there is no discernible evidence to support walnut intake for improving anthropometric indicators of weight loss.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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