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Does regular walnut consumption lead to weight gain?

Joan Sabaté¹, Zaida Cordero-Macintyre, Gina Siapco

¹Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA. jsabate@llu.edu

The British Journal of Nutrition

|November 10, 2005

Summary

Daily walnut consumption led to less weight gain than expected. Even with increased calorie intake, significant weight changes were minimal after accounting for energy differences.

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Area of Science:

Nutrition Science
Human Physiology
Dietary Studies

Background:

Nuts are recognized for health benefits but are energy-dense.
Concerns exist regarding potential weight gain from regular nut consumption.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the impact of daily walnut consumption on body weight and composition.
To assess if walnuts cause significant weight gain in free-living individuals.

Main Methods:

A 12-month randomized cross-over trial with 90 participants.
Participants consumed 28-56g of walnuts daily during the intervention period.
Body weight and composition were monitored, with participants unaware of the primary outcome.

Main Results:

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Walnut supplementation increased daily energy intake by approximately 133 kcal.
A slight, non-significant increase in weight, BMI, fat mass, and lean mass was observed.
After adjusting for energy intake, differences in body weight and composition were not significant, except for a minor BMI change.

Conclusions:

Regular walnut intake resulted in significantly less weight gain than theoretically predicted.
The study suggests that walnuts can be incorporated into the diet without substantial adverse effects on body weight or composition when energy intake is considered.