Effects of Almond Consumption on Cardiovascular, Metabolomic, and Microbiome Profiles in Millennials
Condition: Diet Intervention
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of almond snacking on metabolic,
      cardiovascular and microbiome profiles in college freshmen.
    

Detailed description: 
      Nut (principally almond) consumption helps ameliorate cardiovascular disease, reduce the risk
      of type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Recent studies have demonstrated improvements in
      glycemic control in T2DM and impaired glucose tolerant (IGT) subjects as well as in healthy
      adults. The association between nut consumption and diabetes prevalence is largely mediated
      by changes in body mass (adiposity). The application of metabolomic and lipidomic approaches
      to better asses the mechanisms regulating carbohydrates and lipids in an almond-based study
      has not been performed.

      Additionally, the gut microbiota has been proposed to contribute to a number of metabolic
      disorders including insulin sensitivity, glucose metabolism, and other cardiometabolic risk
      factors. However, data demonstrating the complex interactions among dietary interventions,
      gut microbiome, glucose regulation, and cardiovascular phenotype are lacking.

      Furthermore, because all the studies on nut consumption and health have been performed on
      adults (median age of subjects: +40 years) and given the increasing incidence of metabolic
      disorders (obesity, insulin resistance, etc.) at much younger stages of life especially in
      the Central Valley of California, no data exist on the potential benefits of almonds in
      ameliorating metabolic disorders at a much earlier life stage. This may be clinically more
      important than studies in adults because the transition from adolescence to adulthood is
      associated with a number of potential risk factors unique to this age group, especially in
      those that enter their first year of college. The fixed age of the participants contributes
      to a more homogeneous population than has been previously studied, which greatly minimizes
      the potential for age-dependent alterations in physiology to either potentiate or mask the
      effects of the almonds on metabolic mechanisms. The nutritional independence that is
      associated with going away to college poses many potential health challenges, for example the
      phenomenon, "Freshman 15". The increased prevalence of overweight and obesity is greatest in
      18-29 year olds, especially among those reporting some college education (10.6%-17.8% vs
      7.1%-12.1% in 18-29 year olds overall) suggesting that some aspect of the collegiate
      experience is associated with weight gain.

      While almond-supplemented diets have been shown to reduce body mass or ameliorate weight
      gain, the evidence substantiating the benefits of functional foods in addressing the weight
      gain commonly associated with the transition to college is scarce and an untapped area of
      research. Furthermore, this transition to nutritional independence makes new college students
      vulnerable to additional alterations in eating patterns. Among these concerns are the
      relatively high number of college freshmen that reported skipping breakfast (20%-43%), which
      is by far the most skipped meal among those studies reviewed. This is important because
      chronically skipping breakfast in adolescents has detrimental outcomes on cardiometabolic
      health and has negative impacts on academic performance. Additionally, most college students
      snack, with snacking common both in the morning and the afternoon. Data suggest a benefit to
      snacking on peanuts and almonds. However, the benefits of snacking in young college students
      who routinely skip a meal (breakfast here) are not defined. Therefore, being able to
      demonstrate the benefits of almonds in college "breakfast skippers" would have significant
      implications for young adults in their first year of college, and thus, provide an ideal
      opportunity to further address this line of inquiry. Lastly, the application of metabolomic
      and lipidomic approaches to better assess the mechanisms regulating carbohydrates and lipids
      in an almond-based study has not been performed. Advancements in high-throughput analytical
      techniques have initiated a renaissance in the study of metabolism on a grand scale that
      allow for robust assessment of nutritional status and cellular responses. These approaches
      provide an advantage of mapping metabolites in such a fashion that changes in mechanisms can
      be elucidated as demonstrated by the SuGAR Project.
    

Intervention name(s): Almonds; Graham crackers
Intervention type(s): Dietary Supplement; Dietary Supplement
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double (Participant, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Prevention