Consumption of monosodium glutamate in relation to incidence of overweight

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Consumption of monosodium glutamate in relation to incidence of overweight in

Chinese adults: China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS)

http://www.ajcn.org/content/93/6/1328.abstract?etoc

Abstract

Background: It has been hypothesized that monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor

enhancer, is positively associated with weight gain, which influences energy

balance through the disruption of the hypothalamic signaling cascade of leptin

action.

Objective: The objective was to examine the longitudinal association between MSG

consumption and incidence of overweight.

Design: Data were collected from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), a

prospective open-cohort, ongoing nationwide health and nutrition survey,

consisting of 10,095 apparently healthy Chinese adults aged 18–65 y at entry

from 1991 to 2006. Diet, including MSG and other condiments, was assessed with a

weighed food inventory in combination with three 24-h recalls. Incident

overweight was defined as a body mass index (BMI; in kg/m2) & #8805; 25 or

& #8805;23 based on World Health Organization recommendations for Asian

populations. Multilevel mixed-effects models were constructed to estimate change

in BMI, and regression models with gamma shared frailty were used to

determine the incidence of overweight.

Results: The mean follow-up was 5.5 y. The cumulative mean (±SD) MSG intake of

2.2 ± 1.6 g/d was positively associated with BMI after adjustment for potential

confounders and cluster effects at different levels (individual, household, and

community). The adjusted hazard ratio of overweight was 1.33 (95% CI: 1.01,

1.75; P for trend < 0.01) for participants in the highest quintile of MSG intake

compared with those in the lowest quintile after adjustment for age, physical

activity, total energy intake, and other major lifestyle factors.

Conclusions: MSG consumption was positively, longitudinally associated with

overweight development among apparently healthy Chinese adults. Additional

studies are needed to elucidate mechanisms of action and to establish causal

inference.