Feb. 11, 2008 Diets with high amounts of whole grains may help
achieve significant weight loss, and also reduce the risk of
chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease,
according to a team of Penn State researchers at University Park
and the College of Medicine. "Consumption of whole grains has
been associated with a lower body weight and lower blood
pressure," said co-author Penny Kris-Etherton, distinguished
professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State. "We thought
that incorporating whole grains into a heart-healthy weight loss
diet may provide the same benefits to people at risk from
chronic diseases." The researchers recruited 50 obese adults --
25 male and 25 female -- between ages 20 to 65 and known to have
metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms that increase the risk
of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. They were
randomly assigned to either a group that received instructions
to have all of their grain servings from whole grains or all of
their grain servings from r