CONCLUSIONS Pasta in the context of low-GI dietary patterns does not adversely affect adiposity and even reduces body weight and BMI compared with higher-GI dietary patterns .
OBJECTIVE Carbohydrate staples such as pasta have been implicated in the obesity epidemic .
It is unclear whether pasta contributes to weight gain or like other low-glycaemic index ( GI ) foods contributes to weight loss .
We synthesis ed the evidence of the effect of pasta on measures of adiposity .
Association of pasta consumption with body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio: results from Moli-sani and INHES studies
Background / Objectives : Pasta as a traditional component of Mediterranean diet ( MeD ) in Italy has not been studied in detail in the management of body weight . This study aim ed at evaluating the association of pasta intake with body mass index ( BMI ) and waist-to-hip ratio , in two large epidemiological data sets . Subjects/ Methods : A total of 14 402 participants aged ⩾35 years r and omly recruited from the general population of the Molise region ( Moli-sani cohort ) and 8964 participants aged > 18 years from all over Italy ( Italian Nutrition & HEalth Survey , INHES ) were separately analyzed . The European Prospect i ve Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-food frequency question naire and one 24-h dietary recall were used for dietary assessment . Weight , height , waist and hip circumference were measured in Moli-sani or self-reported in INHES . Residuals methodology corrected for either total energy intake or body weight was used for the analysis of pasta intake . Results :  Higher pasta intake was associated with better adhesion to MeD in both genders ( P for both<0.001 ) . In the Moli-sani study , after multivariable analysis , pasta-energy residuals were negatively associated with BMI in women but not in men ( β-coef=−0.007 , P=0.003 for women and β-coef=−0.001 , P=0.58 for men ) . When pasta intake-body weight residuals were used , pasta  intake was significantly and negatively associated with BMI in crude and multi-adjusted models ( including adhesion to MeD ) in both genders and Moli-sani and INHES studies ( for all β-coef<0 , P<0.05 ) . In the Moli-sani study , pasta-body weight residuals were significantly and negatively associated with waist and hip circumference and waist-to-hip ratio ( for all β-coef<0 , P<0.05 ) . Conclusions : As a traditional component of MeD , pasta consumption was negatively associated with BMI , waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio and with a lower prevalence of overweight and obesity
CONCLUSIONS Pasta in the context of low-GI dietary patterns does not adversely affect adiposity and even reduces body weight and BMI compared with higher-GI dietary patterns .
OBJECTIVE Carbohydrate staples such as pasta have been implicated in the obesity epidemic .
It is unclear whether pasta contributes to weight gain or like other low-glycaemic index ( GI ) foods contributes to weight loss .
We synthesis ed the evidence of the effect of pasta on measures of adiposity .