Study evaluates efficacy of fruit- and vegetable-based beverages for promoting weight control in children

The University of Navarra's research center in Nutrition has begun the MEDKIDS study, which will assess whether increasing fruit and vegetable consumption through drinks designed to promote weight control is beneficial for the school population. "Our main goalis to test the efficacy of fruit and vegetable-based drinks to promote energy reduction and increase the fibre content of the per diem expenses, compared to the usual diet, in groupof overweight or obese children from Educationprimary school", explains Santiago Navas, researchermain researcher at project.

To do this, the specialists are looking for overweight children aged between 6 and 12, who will be divided into two groups for a study that will last eight weeks. "Both study groups will receive nutritional recommendations to follow a weight control per diem expensesand in addition, the intervention groupwill be provided with a fruit and/or vegetable drink, to be taken once a day," explains Navas. "Assignment to one or other groupstudy group will be completely random, so volunteers will not know which groupthey will be assigned to until the study begins".

All those interested in having their children participate in the study, on a voluntary basis and at no financial cost, can contact research centerin Nutrition by emailing voluntariosnut@unav.es, indicating "projectMEDKIDS" in the subject line, calling 948425744 or filling out the following formform.