Eating Peanuts for Health

Peanut Consumption and Human Weight Management

Evidence is accumulating that peanut consumption confers health benefits, such as reduction of cardiovascular disease risk and possibly diabetes risk (Jenkins et al., 2008; Mattes et al., 2008). However, peanuts are a high fat, energy dense food and concerns about weight gain are widespread. Although research indicates that other characteristics of peanuts offset these properties, and that peanuts may be incorporated into diets without posing a threat to weight gain (Mattes et al., 2008), concern remains among policymakers, healthcare providers, and consumers. Furthermore, worry exists that eating salted peanuts may elevate blood pressure and that eating honey-roasted peanuts make elevate blood sugar. These fears create substantial obstacles to increased peanut consumption.

Recommendations to increase peanut consumption may be made, but if they are not followed, there will be no impact on health. Additional knowledge is needed on: (1) the acceptability of peanuts consumed on a chronic basis, (2) the chronic intake of moderate levels of peanuts and body weight, and 3) the effects of peanuts on blood pressure and blood sugar. The proposed research will examine the acceptability of long-term inclusion of a single form versus varied forms of peanuts in the diet. It is expected that responses will be varied among individuals with different personality characteristics (e.g., prefer sweet versus savory foods, hedonic versus non-hedonic eaters). A better understanding of how different segments of the population choose to include peanuts in their diet and how to optimize long-term consumption should provide insights for better marketing and improved health. Furthermore, it is anticipated that eating salty peanuts will not raise blood pressure and that eating honey-roasted peanuts will not raise blood sugar. Documenting this will add credibility to the evidence that peanuts do not cause weight gain, as well as reinforce recommendations to increase peanut consumption for their health benefits.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Obesity; Overweight; Hyperlipidemia
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Consumption of 42 grams of peanuts daily

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 196
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Indiana
    • West Lafayette, Indiana, United States, 47907
      • Purdue University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 50 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Between 18 and 50 years of age
• Weight stable (< 3 kg weight change within last 3 months)
• Constant habitual activity patterns (no deviation > 1x/wk at 30 min/session within last 3 months)
• Constant habitual diet patterns within last 3 months
• Willingness to eat all test foods (peanuts daily for 12 weeks)
• No allergy to foods provided in the study (peanuts)
• Not a daily peanut or tree nut consumer
• Not planning to change use of medications known to influence appetite or metabolism
• Not diabetic or hypertensive
• No history of gastrointestinal pathology
• Non-smoker for one year or more

Exclusion Criteria:

-

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

6

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Consumption of 42 g of salted peanuts; Consumption of 42 grams of peanuts daily	Other: Consumption of 42 grams of peanuts daily; Consumption of the given 42 grams of peanuts daily without instructions for use (i.e. with/without meals, etc.)
Experimental: Consumption of 42 g of unsalted peanuts; Consumption of 42 grams of peanuts daily	Other: Consumption of 42 grams of peanuts daily; Consumption of the given 42 grams of peanuts daily without instructions for use (i.e. with/without meals, etc.)
Experimental: Consumption of 42 g of spicy peanuts; Consumption of 42 grams of peanuts daily	Other: Consumption of 42 grams of peanuts daily; Consumption of the given 42 grams of peanuts daily without instructions for use (i.e. with/without meals, etc.)
Experimental: Consumption of 42 g of honey peanuts; Consumption of 42 grams of peanuts daily	Other: Consumption of 42 grams of peanuts daily; Consumption of the given 42 grams of peanuts daily without instructions for use (i.e. with/without meals, etc.)
Experimental: Consumption of 42 g of 3 diff. varieties; Consumption of 42 grams of peanuts daily	Other: Consumption of 42 grams of peanuts daily; Consumption of the given 42 grams of peanuts daily without instructions for use (i.e. with/without meals, etc.)
Experimental: Consumption of 42 g of var. of types; Consumption of 42 grams of peanuts daily	Other: Consumption of 42 grams of peanuts daily; Consumption of the given 42 grams of peanuts daily without instructions for use (i.e. with/without meals, etc.)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Weight		2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 weeks
Change in Blood Lipids		4, 8, and 12 weeks
Change in Blood Pressure		2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 weeks
Change in Hedonics of peanut consumption	Participants will rate their liking of the sample each day using a visual analog scale.	12 weeks
Change in Body Composition		2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 weeks
Change in Fasting Blood Glucose		4, 8, and 12 weeks
Change in Cortisol		4, 8, and 12 weeks
Change in Insulin		4, 8, and 12 weeks
Change in Pulse		2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Personality Questionnaires		At baseline visit
Flavor attribute liking measures		At baseline
Compliance	Participants will self-report compliance to study protocol using record sheets.	12 weeks
Appetitive Ratings	Collected on handheld computer	4, 8, and 12 weeks
Consumption Parameters	Participants will note if peanuts were eaten as a meal or snack, at what time, and with what other foods daily.	12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Purdue University
• Collaborators: United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Richard D Mattes, RD, MPH, PhD, Purdue University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Jones JB, Provost M, Keaver L, Breen C, Ludy MJ, Mattes RD. Effects of daily consumption of one or varied peanut flavors on acceptance and intake. Appetite. 2014 Nov;82:208-12. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2014.07.023. Epub 2014 Jul 23.
• Jones JB, Provost M, Keaver L, Breen C, Ludy MJ, Mattes RD. A randomized trial on the effects of flavorings on the health benefits of daily peanut consumption. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Mar;99(3):490-6. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.069401. Epub 2013 Dec 18.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: February 1, 2010
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 1, 2012
• Study Completion (Actual): May 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 19, 2013
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 21, 2013
• First Posted (Estimate): June 25, 2013

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): June 25, 2013
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 21, 2013
• Last Verified: June 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Obesity; energy balance; variety; nut intake
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Metabolic Diseases; Body Weight; Lipid Metabolism Disorders; Dyslipidemias; Overweight; Hyperlipidemias
• Other Study ID Numbers: 0912008773