Bitter Melon in Combination with Diet Modification and Regular Exercise Can Prevent and Treat Obesity and Hypertension Cost-Effectively

Abstract

hronic diseases (CDs), including hypertension, obesity and diabetes, are responsible for a large number of global deaths annually. This is due to current life style habits, including sedentary life style, smoking, excess alcohol intake, sugar and fast-food consumption, genetic factors, stress and others. This study investigated the effect of daily consumption of bitter gourd/melon (Momordica charantia) combined with life style changes to reduce body weight, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SDBP), blood glucose and lipid levels in the body. The study recruited 32 obese male (16) and female (16) subjects with an average age of 42 years (±4.5 years) and the majority of them had secondary education. They were divided into four groups (4 men and 4 women per group). Group 1 (diet only) was asked to reduce daily food intake and avoided snaking or binging for 6 weeks. Group 2 (diet and bitter melon) did the same as group 1 but combined with the consumption of 20 g of bitter melon juice (vol/weight) daily for 6 weeks. Group 3 (diet, exercise and bitter melon) did the same as group 1 but combined with daily exercise involving walking, stretching or bicycle riding or a combination for 30 min plus the consumption of 20 g of bitter melon daily for 6 weeks. Group 4 (diet and exercise) did the same as group 1 plus daily exercise involving walking, stretching or bicycle riding or a combination for 30 min Initially, at week 1 the subjects were weighed and their height and SDBP taken. Blood samples were taken for the measurements of fasting blood glucose (FBG), HBA1c, total cholesterol and triglyceride. Their BMI and blood pressure were measured weekly over 6 weeks and another blood sample for each subject was taken at the end of week 6 for analysis as in week one for comparison. The results showed that all four interventions were associated with marked decreases in BMI but with little or no change in HBA1c and FBG compared week 1 with week 6. However, significant (p <0.05) decreases were observed in SDBP, total cholesterol and triglyceride comparing week 1 with week 6. It is concluded that life style changes including dieting, regular exercise and daily intake of bitter melon can help to reduce blood pressure and lipids and the weight of obese subjects leading to a better quality of life.