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 .
Dietary cocoa ameliorates obesity-related inflammation in high fat-fed mice
Purpose To investigate the effect of cocoa powder supplementation on obesity-related inflammation in high fat (HF)-fed obese mice . Methods Male C57BL/6J ( n = 126 ) were fed with either low-fat ( LF , 10 % kcal from fat ) or HF ( 60 % kcal from fat ) diet for 18 weeks . After 8 weeks , mice from HF group were r and omized to HF diet or HF diet supplemented with 8 % cocoa powder ( HF – HFC group ) for 10 weeks . Blood and tissue sample s were collected for biochemical analyses . Results Cocoa powder supplementation significantly reduced the rate of body weight gain ( 15.8 % ) and increased fecal lipid content ( 55.2 % ) compared to HF-fed control mice . Further , cocoa supplementation attenuated insulin resistance , as indicated by improved HOMA-IR , and reduced the severity of obesity-related fatty liver disease ( decreased plasma alanine aminotransferase and liver triglyceride ) compared to HF group . Cocoa supplementation also significantly decreased plasma levels of the pro-inflammatory mediators interleukin-6 ( IL-6 , 30.4 % ) , monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 ( MCP-1 , 25.2 % ) , and increased adiponectin ( 33.7 % ) compared to HF-fed mice . Expression of pro-inflammatory genes ( Il6 , Il12b , Nos2 , and Emr1 ) in the stromal vascular fraction ( SVF ) of the epididymal white adipose tissue ( WAT ) was significantly reduced ( 37–56 % ) in the cocoa-supplemented mice . Conclusions Dietary supplementation with cocoa ameliorates obesity-related inflammation , insulin resistance , and fatty liver disease in HF-fed obese mice , principally through the down-regulation of pro-inflammatory gene expression in WAT . These effects appear to be mediated in part by a modulation of dietary fat absorption and inhibition of macrophage infiltration in WAT
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 .