Effect of an Eight Week Dietary Intervention of Pecans on Cardiometabolic Parameters and Serum Cytokines in Individuals With Obesity or Overweight

You are invited to participate in a research study being conducted by Karen Gibson, Maria Morgan-Bathke, Dana Swope, Grace Huebner, Rebecca Brannan, Samuel McCormick at Viterbo University. The purpose of this research is to determine the effectiveness of using nuts and avocados as a dietary intervention on improving fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, energy expenditure, and body composition on pre-diabetic individuals compared to a control group. We hope to learn if a dietary intervention of nuts or avocado can help improve blood sugar, lipid panel and/or body composition. You were selected as a possible participant in this study because you have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes. If you decide to participate, you will be asked to complete an initial two hour appointment, follow the protocol of one of the interventions (one avocado or 1 ½ ounce nuts) and control group with only dietary counseling provided) daily for an eight week period, weekly telephone and/or email nutrition counseling, and attend a final two hour appointment. The food for the intervention (avocados and nuts) will be provided by the researchers and will not need to be purchased by the participants. The initial and final two hour appointments will consist of the following measurements: An overnight fast, blood glucose, cytokine level, and lipid panel tests will be completed by a venous blood draw. Then Maltron scan (to measure body composition, which in non-invasive and uses electrodes on the skin), waist/hip measurements, height/weight, and VioCare food frequency questionnaire will be completed. Following these screening measurements, a COSMED test to determine resting energy expenditure (REE) will be measured.

It may take approximately 10 weeks from beginning to completion of this study.