Abstract
The effects of dietary supplementation with coconut oil on the biochemical and anthropometric profiles of women presenting waist circumferences (WC) >88 cm (abdominal obesity) were investigated. The randomised, double-blind, clinical trial involved 40 women aged 20–40 years. Groups received daily dietary supplements comprising 30 mL of either soy bean oil (group S; n = 20) or coconut oil (group C; n = 20) over a 12-week period, during which all subjects were instructed to follow a balanced hypocaloric diet and to walk for 50 min per day. Data were collected 1 week before (T1) and 1 week after (T2) dietary intervention. Energy intake and amount of carbohydrate ingested by both groups diminished over the trial, whereas the consumption of protein and fibre increased and lipid ingestion remained unchanged. At T1 there were no differences in biochemical or anthropometric characteristics between the groups, whereas at T2 group C presented a higher level of HDL (48.7 ± 2.4 vs. 45.00 ± 5.6; P = 0.01) and a lower LDL:HDL ratio (2.41 ± 0.8 vs. 3.1 ± 0.8; P = 0.04). Reductions in BMI were observed in both groups at T2 (P < 0.05), but only group C exhibited a reduction in WC (P = 0.005). Group S presented an increase (P < 0.05) in total cholesterol, LDL and LDL:HDL ratio, whilst HDL diminished (P = 0.03). Such alterations were not observed in group C. It appears that dietetic supplementation with coconut oil does not cause dyslipidemia and seems to promote a reduction in abdominal obesity.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- BMI:
-
Body mass index
- BMR:
-
Basal metabolic rate
- CVD:
-
Cardiovascular disease
- LCFA:
-
Long chain fatty acids
- MCFA:
-
Medium chain fatty acid
- SFA:
-
Saturated fatty acid
- TC:
-
Total cholesterol
- TEV:
-
Total energy value
- UFA:
-
Unsaturated fatty acid
- US-CRP:
-
Ultra-sensitive C reactive protein
- WC:
-
Waist circumference
References
Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (accessed June 2008). Pesquisa de orçamentos familiares: 2002–2003. Análise da disponibilidade domiciliar de alimentos e do estado nutricional no Brasil. IBGE; Rio de Janeiro, 2004. http://www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/populacao/condicaodevida/pof/2002analise/pof2002analise.pdf
Peixoto MRG, Benicio MHA, Jardim PCBV (2007) The relationship between body mass index and lifestyle in a Brazilian adult population: a cross-sectional survey. Cad Saude Publica 23:2694–2740
Klein S, Allison DB, Heymsfield SB, Kelley DE, Leibel RL, Nonas C, Kahn R (2007) Waist circumference and cardiometabolic risk: a consensus statement from shaping America’s health: Association for weight management and obesity prevention; NAASO, The Obesity Society; the American Society for Nutrition; and the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care 30:1647–1652
Schaefer EJ (2002) Lipoproteins, nutrition, and heart disease. Am J Clin Nutr 75:191–212
Costa AG, Bressan J, Sabarense CM (2006) Trans fatty acids: foods and effects on health. Arch Latinoam Nutr 56:12–21
Li DF, Thaler RC, Nelssen JL, Harmon DL, Allee GL, Weeden TL (1990) Effect of fat sources and combinations on starter pig performance, nutrient digestibility and intestinal morphology. J Anim Sci 68:3694–3704
Enig MG (1999) Coconut: in support of good health in the 21st century. http://www.coconutoil.com/coconut_oil_21st_century.htm. Accessed July 2007
Lipoeto NI, Agus Z, Oenzil F, Wahlqvist M, Wattanapenpaiboon N (2004) Dietary intake and the risk of coronary heart disease among the coconut-consuming Minangkabau in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 13:377–384
Prior IA, Davidson F, Salmond CE, Czochanska Z (1981) Cholesterol, coconuts, and diet on Polynesian atolls: a natural experiment: the Pukapuka and Tokelau Island studies. Am J Clin Nutr 34:1552–1561
Amarasiri WA, Dissanayake AS (2006) Coconut fats. Ceylon Med J 51:47–51
Calbom C, Calbom J (2005) The coconut diet. Grand Central Publishing, New York
Lima FEL, Menezes TN, Tavares MP, Szarfarc SC, Fisberg RM (2000) Ácidos graxos e doenças cardiovasculares: uma revisão. Rev Nutr 13:73–80
Puska P (2002) Nutrition and global prevention on non-communicable diseases. Asia Pacific J Clin Nutr 11:S755–S758
World Health Organisation (1998) Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. Report of a WHO consultation on obesity. WHO, Geneva
Zabotto CB, Viana RPT, Gil MF. Registro fotográfico para inqueritos dietéticos: utensilios e porçöes (1996) Photographic record to dietetic inquiries: appliances and portions, UFG Goiani
FAO/WHO/UNU (1985) Energy and protein requirements. WHO—technical report series # 724. WHO, Geneva
Mathews DR, Hosker JP, Rudenski AS, Naylor BA, Treacher DF, Turner RC (1985) Homeostasis model assessment: insulin resistance and B-cell function from fasting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations in man. Diabetologia 28:412–419
Castelli WP (2006) Cholesterol and lipids in the risk of coronary artery disease—the Framingham heart study. Can J Cardiol 4:5A–10A
Geloneze B, Repetto EM, Geloneze SR, Tambascia MA, Ermetice MN (2006) The threshold value for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in an admixtured population: IR in the Brazilian metabolic syndrome study. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 72:219–220
Colleone VV (2002) Aplicações clínicas dos ácidos graxos de cadeia média. In: Curi R, Pompéia C, Miyasaka CK, Procopio J (eds) Entendendo a Gordura: os Ácidos Graxos. Manole, Barueri
Gomes RV, Aoki MS (2003) A suplementação de triglicerídeos de cadeia média promove efeito ergogênico sobre o desempenho no exercício de endurance? Rev Bras Med Esporte 9:162–168
Tholstrup T, Ehnholm C, Jauhiainen M (2004) Effects of medium-chain fatty acids and oleic acid on blood lipids, lipoproteins, glucose, insulin, and lipid transfer protein activities. Am J Clin Nutr 79:564–569
Ferreira AMD, Barbosa PEB, Ceddia RB (2003) A influência da suplementação de triglicerídeos de cadeia média no desempenho em exercícios de ultra-resistência. Rev Bras Med Esporte 9:413–419
Sundram K, Ismail A, Hayes KC, Jeyamalar R, Pathmanathan R (1997) Trans (elaidic) fatty acids adversely affect the lipoprotein profile relative to specific saturated fatty acids in humans. J Nutr 127:514–520
Honstra G (2000) Essential fatty acids in mothers and their neonates. Am J Clin Nutr 71:1262S–1269S
Ascherio A, Willett WC (1997) Health effects of trans fatty acids. Am J Clin Nutr 66:1006S–1010S
de Roos NM, Schouten EG, Katan MB (2001) Consumption of a solid fat rich in lauric acid results in a more favorable serum lipid profile in healthy men and women than consumption of a solid fat rich in trans-fatty acids. J Nutr 131:242–245
Kumar PD (1997) The role of coconut and coconut oil in coronary heart disease in Kerala, South India. Trop Doct 27:215–217
Oliveros LB, Videla AM, Gimenez MS (2004) Effect of dietary fat saturation on lipid metabolism, arachidonic acid turnover and peritoneal macrophage oxidative stress in mice. Braz J Med Biol Res 37:311–320
Grundy SM, Denke MA (1990) Dietary influences on serum lipids and lipoproteins. J Lipid Res 31:1149–1172
Verlengia R, Lima TM (2002) Síntese de ácidos graxos. In: Curi R, Pompéia C, Miyasaka CK, Procopio J (eds) Entendendo a Gordura: os Ácidos Graxos. Manole, Barueri
Nevin KG, Rajamohan T (2006) Virgin coconut oil supplemented diet increases the antioxidant status in rats. Food Chem 99:260–266
Haber EP, Carpinelli AR, Carvalho CRO, Cury R (2001) Secreção de insulina: efeito autócrino da insulina e modulação por ácidos graxos. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab 45:219–227
Garfinkel M, Lee S, Opara EC, Akwari OE (1992) Insulinotropic potency of lauric acid: a metabolic rationale for medium chain fatty acids (MCF) in TNP formulation. J Surg Res 52:328–333
Sepulveda JL, Metha JL (2005) C-Reactive protein and cardiovascular disease: a critical appraisal. Curr Opin Cardiol 20:407–416
Frankel S, Elwood P, Sweetnam P, Yarnell J, Smith GD (1996) Birth weight, body-mass index in middle age, and incident coronary heart disease. Lancet 348:1478–1480
Hudgins LC, Hellerstein M, Seidman C, Neese R, Diakun J, Hirsch J (1996) Human fatty acid synthesis is stimulated by a eucaloric low fat, high carbohydrate diet. J Clin Invest 97:2081–2091
Mittendorfer B, Sidossis LS (2001) Mechanism for the increase in plasma triacylglycerol concentrations after consumption of short-term, high-carbohydrate diets. Am J Clin Nutr 73:892–899
Parks EJ, Krauss RM, Christiansen MP, Neese RA, Hellerstein MK (1999) Effects of a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet on VLDL-triglyceride assembly, production, and clearance. J Clin Invest 104:1087–1096
Fisberg RM, Slater B, Marchioni DML, Martini LA (2005) Inquéritos alimentares: métodos e bases científicas (nutritional surveys: methodology and scientific bases). Manole, Barueri
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Assunção, M.L., Ferreira, H.S., dos Santos, A.F. et al. Effects of Dietary Coconut Oil on the Biochemical and Anthropometric Profiles of Women Presenting Abdominal Obesity. Lipids 44, 593–601 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-009-3306-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-009-3306-6