TOKYO—A recent study found green tea catechin consumption enhances exercise-induced changes in abdominal fat and serum triglycerides (J Nutr. 2009;139(2):264-70). A total of 132 overweight and obese adults were randomly assigned to receive a beverage containing 625 mg of catechins with 39 mg caffeine or a control beverage (39 mg caffeine, no catechins) for 12 weeks. Participants were asked to maintain constant energy intake and engage in 180 minutes/week of moderate intensity exercise, including three supervised sessions per week. There was a trend (P=0.079) toward greater loss of body weight in the catechin group compared with the control group. Percentage changes in fat mass did not differ between the catechin and control groups (P=0.208). However, percentage changes in total abdominal fat area (P=0.013), subcutaneous abdominal fat area (P=0.019), and fasting serum triglycerides (P=0.023) were greater in the catechin group.
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