Green Tea Reduces Weight in Moderately Overweight Chinese

Green tea contains catechins, which are often called tea flavonoids, and are being investigated for possible use in the prevention of heart disease and cancer.  Earlier studies have indicated that green tea can help with weight reduction, but further evidence is needed before the tea can be recommended for this use.  Such evidence is provided, to an extent, by a Chinese study described in the journal Obesity.  

The study population was 182 moderately overweight Chinese aged 18 to 55.  They were divided into 4 groups, each group drinking green tea with different amounts of catechins for 90 days: controls (15 mg), 229 mg, 468 mg, and 886 mg.  Data collected at baseline, 30, 60, and 90 days included an estimate of total body fat, intra-abdominal fat, waist circumference, and body weight. 

At the highest concentration of catechins, body weight, waist circumference, intra-abdominal fat and total lean mass were all decreased, compared with the controls.  The differences were statistically significant.  The amount of catechins at the highest concentration was equivalent to that contained in 6 to 10 cups of ‘regular’ green tea.

I should point out that 4 of the 9 authors of the study were employees of the Lipton Institute of Tea or Unilever NV, the owner of Lipton Teas.  We should await a totally independent study in a Western population, before rushing out and buying highly-concentrated-catechin tea, which provided 198 mg caffeine in this study (equivalent to 2-3 cups of double-espresso coffee).