Just how far would people go for science, one may ask? An upcoming study by an American university wants to find out if avocados help in losing belly fat by making willing participants eat the fruit daily for six months — all in the name of research.
The study, which will be under Loma Linda University’s School of Public Health in California, is offering to pay 250 takers willing to participate in helping researchers find out if “moderate avocado consumption actually promotes weight loss.”
The announcement was made in the news section of Loma Linda University’s website last Aug. 28. Along with Loma Linda University, three other American universities — Tufts University, Penn State University and University of California, Los Angeles — will join in on the research, and are in need of 250 participants themselves. Together, the four universities will work on the study to evaluate the “controversial idea in a randomized, six-month trial.”
“The study will examine whether eating one avocado per day reduces visceral adipose fat in the abdomen,” shared Joan Sabaté, MD, DrPH, a professor at La Loma University.
The university is now calling for participants willing to take part in the study. Participants have to meet the following criteria: they must be 25 years of age or older, and willing to either eat one avocado per day for six months, or eat only two avocados per month for the same period.
Moreover, willing participants must at least have 40 inches around the waist, if male. Females, on the other hand, must measure at least 35 inches around the waist. Selected participants will then be randomly assigned to one of two groups and will receive a free MRI and health screening by a clinician from the university.
Once the research is finished, the participants will then be given $300 (P16,000) each, with those in the control group receiving an extra 24 avocados for themselves. Seems like a treat for avocado lovers. JB
RELATED STORIES:
Los Angeles food is not all healthy and avocado