Monday July 23, 12:06 pm Eastern Time

Press Release

SOURCE: SPECTRUM Science Public Relations

New Study Concludes Dietary Supplement CLA Effective In Trimming Waists of Overweight Adults

International Journal of Obesity Study Second in 8 months To Confirm CLA's Body Fat Reduction Benefits
HAMPSHIRE, United Kingdom, July 23 /PRNewswire/ -- A study just published in the International Journal of Obesity (Volume 25, Issue 8, August 2001) concludes that the natural dietary supplement conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) reduces abdominal fat among men classified as abdominally obese. The study participants taking CLA lost an average of one inch from their waistlines in a four-week period.

The double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial observed 25 men with significant abdominal fat for four weeks. Fourteen received 4.2 grams of CLA per day, while the others received placebo. At the conclusion of the study, there was a significant decrease of abdominal diameter among the CLA group. None of the study participants changed their eating or exercise habits during the trial period.

``This study gives us further evidence that CLA can play a meaningful role in reducing body fat among the overweight population,'' said Delbert Dorscheid, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, St. Paul's Hospital, the University of British Columbia), ``These results show great promise for CLA as part of a sensible, sustained body fat reduction regimen.''

Almost two thirds of American adults -- or 61 percent -- are currently classified as overweight, and more than one quarter of those are considered obese, according to recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control. These individuals are at increased risk of illness from hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, respiratory problems, and certain cancers. The total costs attributable to obesity-related disease approach $100 billion annually.

Results of this study, led by Drs. Riserus, Berglund and Vessby, faculty of Medicine, Clinical Nutrition Research Unit, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Sweden, supports recent data published in the December 2000 issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Nutrition (Volume 130, Number 12). That study concluded that CLA reduced body fat and preserved muscle mass among the 60-person study group. Participants lost an average of six pounds while taking CLA.

``The study supports our results. It is a valuable addition to the knowledge of CLA as being a promising tool in the battle of the bulge,'' said Ola Gudmundsen, PhD, chief executive officer, Scandinavian Clinical Research a/s, Kjeller, Norway and lead investigator of the Journal of Nutrition study. ``Taken together, these results certainly encourage further studies of this natural agent as a valuable tool in body fat reduction.''

CLA is widely available in Europe, Asia and the United States as an over- the-counter dietary supplement. CLA is a fatty acid, which people used to obtain naturally through regular consumption of beef and dairy fats. However, changes in the way cattle are raised and in the foods people eat have lowered the amount of CLA people get in their diet. CLA inhibits the enzyme lipase, which blocks fat cells from storing in the body. CLA also promotes lean muscle gain at the expense of fat. For study purposes, investigators used the Tonalin brand of CLA supplied by Natural, Inc.

The peer-reviewed International Journal of Obesity is published monthly by the International Association for the Study of Obesity. The view the full study, visit http://www.iaso.org .

SOURCE: SPECTRUM Science Public Relations

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