Consumption of fruits reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease; however, very few studies have investigated the effect of fruit consumption in overweight and obese children. We examined whether consuming dried apple as a snack is a practical solution for weight loss and improves body composition and metabolic markers. Thirty-eight overweight or obese children aged 10 to 16 years were randomly assigned to one of two groups consuming twice daily 120 kcal serving per day of either dried apple or a control snack (muffin) for 8 weeks. Body weight, height, waist circumference, and body composition were determined during an initial visit and after 8 weeks of intervention. Blood samples were collected to measure serum concentrations of blood lipids, glucose, insulin, proinsulin, total adiponectin, and C-reactive protein, as well as total antioxidant capacity and activity of glutathione peroxidase. Body weight increased in the muffin group (P = .01). BodPod and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry showed that fat-free mass increased (P < .05) only in the muffin group. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration increased (P = .04) after the 8-week treatment within the apple group. Overall, minor differences were detected in growing children who consumed snacks of either dried apples or muffins with similar macronutrient profiles for 8 weeks. Future research should evaluate the effects of consuming fresh apples that include the peel.
Keywords: BMI; antioxidant; cholesterol; fruit; insulin; kids.