Effect of Hypoenergetic Diet Combined with Consumption of Coconut Flour in Overweight Women.

INTRODUCTION the prevalence of obesity has increased, especially among women. AIM the aim of this study was to assess the effect of a hypoenergetic diet combined with coconut flour on anthropometric and biochemical data and the quality of the diet. METHODS we carried out a crossover clinical trial involving a step with hypoenergetic diet only and another with the diet associated with coconut flour consumption (26 g) over the course of nine months. The volunteers were recruited from the São Gonçalo city of Rio de Janeiro. Anthropometric, biochemical and dietary data were collected monthly. The diet quality index revised for the Brazilian population (DQI-R) and the consumption of ultra-processed foods and additives were assessed. The Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests were performed, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS forty-two women of an average 47.5 ± 9.5 years of age participated. The hypoenergetic diet promoted a decrease in body fat, body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, visceral adiposity index, diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides and VLDL. The consumption of coconut flour promoted a drop in glucose and total cholesterol levels when supplementing the hypoenergetic diet. The improvement to diet quality can be noted in the decrease in consumption of ultra-processed foods like vegetable oil, chocolate and soft drinks. CONCLUSION the hypoenergetic diet promoted a decrease in the anthropometric parameters, blood pressure and triglycerides. The consumption of coconut flour promoted a decrease in glucose and total cholesterol levels when supplementing the hypoenergetic diet. The improved diet quality can be seen in the decrease in consumption of ultra- processed foods.