Eat one avocado per day for six months and get paid, weight loss study

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDAug 30 2018

A latest weight loss study from the Loma Linda University is looking for participants to consume avocados for them and get paid for it too. The study is to be called, “The Habitual Diet and Avocado Trial.”

Image Credit: Barmalini / Shutterstock

Joan Sabaté, MD, PhD, lead author and director of the university's Center for Nutrition, Lifestyle and Disease Prevention, said in an online statement, “The study will examine whether eating one avocado per day reduces visceral adipose fat in the abdomen.” The team is calling out to men and women over the age of 25 years who have waist measurements of 40 and 35 inches or more respectively. The rules add that all participants must be willing to “eat one avocado per day for six months or eat only two avocados per month for the same period”. Pregnant and breastfeeding women and those who are planning to get pregnant would not be included in the study.

The rules for participating in the study state that the participants would be divided into two groups –

• The test group would be “given 16 avocados every two weeks and required to eat one avocado per day throughout the six-month study.”
• The control group on the other hand, “will be required to eat no more than two avocados per month during the same period.”

During the course of the study, all participants would be given free health screening and MRI scans and they would need to need each month with their dietician. Participants of both groups would be paid $300 each on completion of the study. They, in addition would be given 24 avocados.

Avocados are known to be rich in fats that are good for the heart. They can help control cholesterol and promote health. However some studies have contradicted the value of avocados in daily diet. Loma Linda University statement reads, “Since avocados contain the highest fat content of any fruit, it seems illogical to think they might actually help people lose their belly fat.” This study would examine if consuming one avocado per day can help reduce the abdominal fat.

At present the study is calling for 1000 participants from not only the Loma Linda University but also from the Tufts University, Penn State University and the University of California, Los Angeles. These would recruit 250 more participants each for the study. Once the study is complete, the data from the participants would be analyzed by the Wake Forest University.

The study is being funded by the Hass Avocado Board.