Cocoa-Rich Chocolate And Body Composition In Postmenopausal Women: A Randomised Clinical Trial

During menopause, women undergo a series of physiological changes that include a redistribution of fat tissue. This study was designed to investigate the effect of adding 10 g of cocoa-rich chocolate to the habitual diet of postmenopausal women daily on body composition. We conducted a 6-month, two-arm randomised, controlled trial. Postmenopausal women (57 center dot 2 (sd 3 center dot 6) years, n 132) were recruited in primary care clinics. Participants in the control group (CG) did not receive any intervention. Those of the intervention group (IG) received 10 g daily of 99 % cocoa chocolate in addition to their habitual diet for 6 months. This quantity comprises 247 kJ (59 kcal) and 65 center dot 4 mg of polyphenols. The primary outcomes were the between-group differences in body composition variables, measured by impendancemetry at the end of the study. The main effect of the intervention showed a favourable reduction in the IG with respect to the CG in body fat mass (-0 center dot 63 kg (95 % CI -1 center dot 15, -0 center dot 11), P = 0 center dot 019; Cohen's d = -0 center dot 450) and body fat percentage (-0 center dot 79 % (95 % CI -1 center dot 31, -0 center dot 26), P = 0 center dot 004; Cohen's d = -0 center dot 539). A non-significant decrease was also observed in BMI (-0 center dot 20 kg/m(2) (95 % CI -0 center dot 44, 0 center dot 03), P = 0 center dot 092; Cohen's d = -0 center dot 345). Both the body fat mass and the body fat percentage showed a decrease in the IG for the three body segments analysed (trunk, arms and legs). Daily addition of 10 g of cocoa-rich chocolate to the habitual diet of postmenopausal women reduces their body fat mass and body fat percentage without modifying their weight.