Bread Intake and Abdominal Fat

Abstract

This chapter reviews data on whether or not eating patterns that include bread and bread consumption itself are associated with excess abdominal adiposity, either in the general population or in subjects undergoing obesity management. Results indicate that in the majority of studies following a food pattern that includes whole-grain bread is more beneficial in relation to abdominal fat distribution than following a food pattern including refined bread, and that a reduction in refined bread consumption may help to prevent abdominal fat accumulation.The few clinical trials investigating the influence of bread on the effectiveness of weight loss diets have generated controversial results that do not confirm whether dieting in obese subjects led to a greater loss of percentage body fat in the abdominal region in participants that consumed whole-grain bread compared to participants that consumed refined-grain bread. Finally, the potential mechanisms by which whole-grain or refined bread intake is linked to regional adiposity are unknown; however, factors like energy density, glycemic index, insulin response, dietary fiber, and gut microbiota may be involved in this relationship.