Mumbai: A study has shown that flavonoid derived from citrus fruit prevents weight gain and other signs of metabolic syndrome which can lead to Type 2 Diabetes and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The study was led by Murray Huff of the Robarts Research Institute at the University of Western Ontario. The research studied a flavonoid (plant-based bioactive molecule) called naringenin.

The study was conducted on a group of mice, who were fed a high-fat (western) diet to induce the symptoms of metabolic syndrome. A second group was fed the exact same diet and treated with naringenin. Naringenin improved the elevations in triglyceride and cholesterol, prevented the development of insulin resistance and completely normalised glucose metabolism. The researchers found it worked by genetically reprogramming the liver to burn up excess fat, rather than store it.

Huff, Director of the Vascular Biology Research Group at Robarts and Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry said, “Furthermore, the marked obesity that develops in these mice was completely prevented by naringenin. What was unique about the study was that the effects were independent of caloric intake, meaning the mice ate exactly the same amount of food and the same amount of fat. There was no suppression of appetite or decreased food intake, which are often the basis of strategies to reduce weight gain and its metabolic consequences.”