Effects of a snack enriched with carob and Undaria pinnatifida (wakame) on metabolic parameters in a double blind, randomized clinical trial in obese patients

Introduction: Introduction: the composition of snack foods likely influences the overall effect that snacking has on metabolism and obesity. The objective of the current study was to assess the responses to two different snacks, one of them supplemented with wakame and carobs, on cardiovascular risk factors, satiety, and subsequent food intake in obese subjects with metabolic syndrome. Material and Methods: forty patients were randomized in a clinical trial (NCT03420989, clinicaltrial.gov) to group I (enriched snack, n = 16) or group II (control snack, n = 16). At baseline and after 8 weeks biochemical parameters, dietary intakes, and nutritional status were assessed. The subjects also rated their feelings of satiety/hunger with a test meal. Results: no differences were detected in anthropometric parameters between both snacks. Changes in other parameters were detected in patients with enriched snacks, with a significant decrease in LDL-cholesterol by 7.4 % (intervention snack, -8.9 ± 2.3 mg/dL vs control snack, -0.9 ± 3.3 mg/dL; p = 0.03), in total cholesterol by 5.8 % (intervention snack, -10.4 ± 2.9 mg/dL vs control snack, -1.4 ± 3.2 mg/dL; p = 0.02), and in resistin level by 15.9 % (intervention snack, -1.0 ± 0.2 mg/dL vs control snack, -0.1 ± 0.3 mg/dL: p = 0.03). After the test meal, satiety scores (after 20 min and 40 min) were higher than fasting levels in both groups. The same results were obtained with the 100-mm, 5-point visual satiety scale. Conclusion: our study indicates that a wakame- and carob-enriched snack induces a significant decrease in total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and resistin levels when compared to a control snack, without effects on food consumption, other cardiovascular parameters, or anthropometric parameters.Introduccion: la composicion de los snacks probablemente influya en el efecto que produce su consumo sobre los marcadores metabolicos y la obesidad. El objetivo fue evaluar respuestas a dos snacks, uno de ellos suplementado con wakame y algarroba, sobre factores de riesgo cardiovascular, saciedad y posterior ingesta de alimentos, en sujetos obesos con sindrome metabolico. Material y metodos: se aleatorizaron 40 pacientes en el ensayo clinico NCT03420989 (clinicaltrial.gov) para participar en el grupo I (snack enriquecido, n = 16) o el grupo II (snack de control, n = 16). Antes y despues de 8 semanas se determinaron parametros bioquimicos, ingestas dieteticas y estado nutricional. A los sujetos tambien se les evaluo saciedad y apetito con comida de prueba. Resultados: no se detectaron diferencias en parametros antropometricos con ambos snacks. Se detectaron cambios en parametros bioquimicos de pacientes que recibieron snacks enriquecidos, con disminucion significativa del colesterol-LDL del 7,4 % (snack de intervencion, -8,9 ± 2,3 mg/dl vs. snack de control, -0,9 ± 3,3 mg/dl; p = 0,03), del colesterol total del 5,8 % (snack de intervencion, -10,4 ± 2,9 mg/dl vs. snack de control, -1,4 ± 3,2 mg/dl; p = 0,02) y de niveles de resistina del 15,9 % (snack de intervencion, -1,0 ± 0,2 mg/dl vs. snack de control, -0,1 ± 0,3 mg/dl; p = 0,03). Despues de la comida de prueba, las puntuaciones de saciedad (a los 20 min y 40 min) fueron mas altas que nivel de ayuno en ambos grupos. Los resultados fueron similares con escala de saciedad visual de 5 puntos y 100 mm. Conclusion: nuestro estudio muestra que un snack enriquecido con wakame y algarroba produce disminucion significativa de los niveles de colesterol total, colesterol-LDL y resistina frente a un snack de control, sin efectos sobre el consumo de alimentos, otros parametros cardiovasculares y los parametros antropometricos