Not a Nutrition Professional? Visit:
Obesity is a growing concern worldwide that can lead to a variety of health problems. Directly related to obesity, cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of men and women in the U.S., and the development of type 2 (adult onset) diabetes is also a growing concern.
Glucose (sugars) and lipids (fats) provide the body with energy, but inappropriate levels of glucose and lipids can lead to conditions like obesity, high cholesterol, insulin resistance and plaque build-up in the arteries. People with cardiovascular disease (or the precursory signs of this disease) and diabetes can use prescription drugs to address their symptoms, but drugs can have undesirable side effects. To help determine how mangos may affect the body’s metabolism, the National Mango Board commissioned a research study to see what affect the fruit would have on blood glucose and lipids in mice fed a high-fat diet.
The study found that mango is effective in reducing body fat accumulation in mice fed a high-fat diet. In this study, very little difference in body weight was seen among mice given six different types of diets, but the amount of body fat was notable. Mice on a high-fat diet that ate mango had a percentage of body fat similar to mice eating a normal diet.
You’ll find all the details of this exciting study below, along with information about a human study that is underway to better understand how these effects might manifest in the human body.