Conclusion : Cocoa/DC supplementation does not reduce anthropometric measures significantly .
However subgroup analysis regarding dose ( ≥ 30 g/day ) and duration ( between 4 to 8 weeks ) revealed significant reduction of body weight and BMI
ABSTRACT Background : Cocoa and dark chocolate ( DC ) have been reported to be effective for health promotion ; however the exact effect of cocoa/DC on anthropometric measures have not been yet defined .
Benefits in Cognitive Function, Blood Pressure, and Insulin Resistance Through Cocoa Flavanol Consumption in Elderly Subjects With Mild Cognitive Impairment: The Cocoa, Cognition, and Aging (CoCoA) Study
Flavanol consumption is favorably associated with cognitive function . We tested the hypothesis that dietary flavanols might improve cognitive function in subjects with mild cognitive impairment . We conducted a double-blind , parallel arm study in 90 elderly individuals with mild cognitive impairment r and omized to consume once daily for 8 weeks a drink containing ≈990 mg ( high flavanols ) , ≈520 mg ( intermediate flavanols ) , or ≈45 mg ( low flavanols ) of cocoa flavanols per day . Cognitive function was assessed by Mini Mental State Examination , Trail Making Test A and B , and verbal fluency test . At the end of the follow-up period , Mini Mental State Examination was similar in the 3 treatment groups ( P=0.13 ) . The time required to complete Trail Making Test A and Trail Making Test B was significantly ( P<0.05 ) lower in subjects assigned to high flavanols ( 38.10±10.94 and 104.10±28.73 seconds , respectively ) and intermediate flavanols ( 40.20±11.35 and 115.97±28.35 seconds , respectively ) in comparison with those assigned to low flavanols ( 52.60±17.97 and 139.23±43.02 seconds , respectively ) . Similarly , verbal fluency test score was significantly ( P<0.05 ) better in subjects assigned to high flavanols in comparison with those assigned to low flavanols ( 27.50±6.75 versus 22.30±8.09 words per 60 seconds ) . Insulin resistance , blood pressure , and lipid peroxidation also decreased among subjects in the high-flavanol and intermediate-flavanol groups . Changes of insulin resistance explained ≈40 % of composite z score variability through the study period ( partial r2=0.4013 ; P<0.0001 ) . To the best of our knowledge , this is the first dietary intervention study demonstrating that the regular consumption of cocoa flavanols might be effective in improving cognitive function in elderly subjects with mild cognitive impairment . This effect appears mediated in part by an improvement in insulin sensitivity
Conclusion : Cocoa/DC supplementation does not reduce anthropometric measures significantly .
However subgroup analysis regarding dose ( ≥ 30 g/day ) and duration ( between 4 to 8 weeks ) revealed significant reduction of body weight and BMI
ABSTRACT Background : Cocoa and dark chocolate ( DC ) have been reported to be effective for health promotion ; however the exact effect of cocoa/DC on anthropometric measures have not been yet defined .