Cocoa Extract-enriched Meals and Cardiovascular Risk in Older Population

Obesity prevalence in elderly populations has increased in the last years, and the reduction of overweight and obesity is a priority target in populations of all age ranges worldwide. Obesity is a disease frequently accompanied by a pro-inflammatory state, in which metabolic functions may be compromised, and therefore there is a risk of developing comorbidities such as type-2 diabetes, hyperlipidemias, hypertension, atherosclerosis, etc. In this context, plant extracts are a good source of antioxidant compounds. Among these compounds, polyphenols have been shown to have an important antioxidant effect. Scientific evidence based on epidemiological studies suggest that flavonoids from the diet play an important role on the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Cocoa and related products are an important source of flavonoids, providing even more than tea or wine. Generally, benefits associated to cocoa consumption are related to the ability for improving lipid profile and insulin sensitivity, reducing blood pressure, platelet activity and improving endothelial dysfunction. Some studies have also shown an improvement of inflammatory conditions, mainly due to the capacity of the polyphenols contained to modify cellular transcription, and the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, macrophages and lymphocytic strains. Therefore, the hypothesis of this study is that the consumption of cocoa extract-enriched prepared meals, within a hypocaloric diet, will help to reduce body weight and to improve cardiovascular risk factors compared to the same diet with standard prepared meals.