Maria Evangelina Alvarez- Salazar, Ana Estephania Reyesmendoza, Raúl López- Ascencio and Clemente Vásquez
Introduction: Evidence indicates that the number of people in Mexico suffering from Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus has been increasing during the last decades, as a consequence of the obesity epidemic. There are reports that the consumption of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats reduces insulin resistance and also decreases central obesity. The main nutritional characteristic of avocado is its high lipid content, these being mainly unsaturated.
Objective: To investigate the effect of avocado oil consumption in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and compare it with a control group.
Materials and methods: A quasi-experimental, ambipective study was carried out. Twenty patients from the community of Tinajas, Colima, Mexico, diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2, participated. They were divided into 3 groups, the first group (n=7) ingested 1 ml of avocado oil, the second group (n=7) consumed 3 ml and the third group (n=6) was taken as a control group. They were followed up and observed every 15 days for 8 weeks, taking capillary glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol, also measuring weight, height, waist and hip. Student's t-test was used.
Results and conclusion: Glucose levels in patients with Diabetes Mellitus type 2 who ingest avocado oil, decrease, although without statistical significance. The use of avocado oil produced significant reductions in weight, BMI, triglycerides and cholesterol. Patients who received 1 ml of avocado oil showed more changes than those who received 3 ml, the former registered significant changes in weight, BMI, cholesterol and triglycerides, while the latter only had changes in triglycerides. The results found seem to indicate that the avocado oil used provides health benefits in different variables related to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
