Food plays a big role in everyone’s identity, and those born between 1997-2012, commonly known as Gen Z, have been deemed the “foodie generation.” Gen Z is driven to a particular food by varied factors, but data suggests foods that support health and well-being by providing energy, managing weight, and fostering mental health are priorities. Yet when it comes to choosing foods that support these needs, Gen Z, along with millennials and beyond, often overlook a convenient and important food group – tree nuts, including walnuts.

Nuts, including walnuts, are nutrient dense and considered a key component of many recommended dietary patterns, including the Mediterranean and vegetarian diets. They are also recommended for daily consumption in the latest U.S. Dietary Guidelines. Despite the recommendations, nuts remain under-consumed by the U.S. population, perhaps due to nuts being calorie dense, leading to potential concerns that including nuts in the diet could promote weight gain. But new research suggests people, especially Gen Z and millennials, should reconsider nuts, like walnuts.

New Research Evaluates the Impact of Nuts on Weight Management for Gen Z and Millennials

In a recent observational study from Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington and funded by the California Walnut Commission, researchers observed that adolescents and young adults who consumed walnuts and other nuts had a lower prevalence for obesity when compared with those who consumed no nuts.

Researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) which included more than 19,000 adolescents (12 – 19 years old) and young adults (20 – 39 years old) to understand the associations between consumption of walnuts and other nuts with measures of obesity including relative fat mass (RFM), a validated tool for estimating body fat percent and regional fat composition.

In particular, young women consuming only walnuts had a significantly lower prevalence of obesity when compared to non-nut consumers.

However, this association was not found among young men, adolescent boys, or adolescent girls who consumed walnuts only. Researchers also observed that adolescent girls and young women who consumed walnuts only, or other nuts, had a significantly lower RFM compared to non-nuts consumers. Only young males in the walnut and other nut groups showed an inverse association with RFM compared to no nuts group, this was not found in adolescent boys.

These results are promising suggesting that there may be an association between the consumption of nuts, especially walnuts with a lower prevalence of obesity and lower RFM within certain populations. However, cause and effect could not be determined, and additional research is needed to support these results. Additionally, the average nut consumption in this population group was low with 76% of adolescents and 69% of young adults reporting no daily nut consumption. Furthermore, when walnuts were consumed, adolescents only ate - 2g/day while young adults had - 4g/day, which is far below the recommended intake for nuts of 2 – 3 ounces (56 – 85g) per week or 1 to 1.5 ounces (30g) per day, respectively.

“While additional research is needed, these results showed that food should not be judged based on calories alone. The addition of nuts, like walnuts, as a part of a healthy eating pattern may help lower the risk of obesity,” explains Dr. Carla Miller, PhD, RD, Professor of Nutrition at Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington. “Whether it is a handful as a snack or part of a meal, even in small amounts, nuts, including walnuts, can and should be a part of a nutritious diet to support well-being.”