MSG promotes weight gain

An upcoming study in the May issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the consumption of monosodium glutamate (MSG), the flavor enhancer, in relation to incidence of overweight in Chinese adults. It has been hypothesized that monosodium glutamate (MSG) influences energy balance through the disruption of the hypothalamic signaling cascade of leptin action.

The study investigated 10,095 apparently healthy Chinese adults aged 18–65 y at entry from 1991 to 2006. Diet, including MSG and other condiments, was assessed. The cumulative mean MSG intake was positively associated with increased Body Mass Index after adjustment for potential confounders and cluster effects at different levels 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.

In conclusions, the consensus reached by the researchers was that MSG consumption was positively, longitudinally associated with overweight development among apparently healthy Chinese adults.