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Researchers Are Paying 1,000 People To Eat Avocados

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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Do you like avocados? How about getting paid to eat them? That's just what some universities are doing to test if eating avocados help people lose weight.

The study is being conducted at Loma Linda University School of Public Health and three other American universities, including Penn State.

Loma Linda University says they will pay 250 to eat avocados to be participants in their study.

"The study will examine whether eating one avocado per day reduces visceral adipose fat in the abdomen," Joan Sabaté, MD, DrPH says.

Participants for the study must:

  1. Be 25 years of age or older
  2. Be willing to either eat one avocado per day for six months or eat only two avocados per month for the same period
  3. Measure at least 40 inches around the waist if they are male, or
  4. Measure at least 35 inches around the waist if they are female.

Participants will be split into two groups. The test group will be required to eat 16 avocados every two weeks and required to eat one avocado per day throughout the six-month study. The control group will be required to eat no more than two avocados per month during the same period.

The university says participants will receive free health screenings and will get paid $300 each. Members of the control group will be given 24 avocados to enjoy.

In addition to LLU, Penn State University, Tufts University and the University of California, Los Angeles, will each recruit 250 participants, for a total of 1,000 participants in the study.

CLICK HERE to learn more.

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