Nutr Res Pract.  2012 Dec;6(6):520-526.

Visceral fat and body weight are reduced in overweight adults by the supplementation of Doenjang, a fermented soybean paste

• Cha YS
• Yang JA
• Back HI
• Kim SR
• Kim MG
• Jung SJ
• Song WO
• Chae SW

Abstract

Various forms of fermented soybean products are well documented for their health benefits. The efficacy of anti-obesogenic effect of Doenjang, one of the most commonly used seasonings in Korean cuisine, has been reported only in animal models; thus, an evaluation of Doenjang needs to be conducted in human studies. We aimed to test the hypothesis that Doenjang supplementation reduces body weight and changes body composition in overweight adults. A total of 51 overweight adults participated in this study. A group of males with BMI > or = 23 kg/m2 and waist to hip ratio (WHR) > or = 0.90, and a group of females with BMI > or = 23 kg/m2 and WHR > or = 0.85 were randomly assigned to either a Doenjang supplement (9.9 g dry/day) group or a placebo group for a 12-week randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study. Anthropometric parameters, abdominal fat distribution by computerized tomography (CT) and blood components were measured before and after the intervention period. After the 12-week study, the Doenjang supplementation group had significant reductions in body weight (kg), body fat mass (kg) and body fat (%) compared to the placebo group, the supplementation of Doenjang resulted in a significant reduction in visceral fat (cm2), although no changes were observed in total and subcutaneous fat are as (cm2), serum lipid profiles and dietary intakes. The present study demonstrated that daily supplementation of 9.9 g dry/day of Doenjang for 12 weeks reduces body weight and visceral fat in overweight adults.

Keyword

Doenjang; body weight; visceral fat; abdominal fat; overweight adults

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Fat
Adipose Tissue
Adult
Animals
Body Composition
Body Weight
Female
Humans
Insurance Benefits
Intra-Abdominal Fat
Male
Overweight
Seasons
Soybeans
Subcutaneous Fat
Waist-Hip Ratio

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Flow chart for the enrollment of study subjects

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