Impact of a Nutritional Supplement on Metabolic Health

There are prevalent micronutrient and fiber deficiencies in a significant proportion of US population, particularly among the overweight or obese. Intensive lifestyle counseling results in modest, measurable dietary improvements and weight stabilization, yet falls short of restoring optimal nutritional status and metabolism. A carefully formulated nutritional supplement bar (referred to as the CHORIBAR) delivered in a whole food matrix may correct micronutrient deficiencies in overweight or obese adults and children. This may have a beneficial impact on traditional indices of insulin dysregulation and the metabolic syndrome, gut inflammation, redox status, immune function and DNA integrity, and may favorably influence weight change and fat distribution. The investigators believe that the improvements seen with CHORIBAR trials will be mediated at the level of generalized enhancement in cellular metabolism that are not readily achieved with lifestyle counseling alone. The investigators suspect this is due to many nutritional barriers, some of which are disproportionately borne by inner city populations, such as cost and access to healthy food. The investigators hypothesize that a nutritional supplement like the CHORIBAR will facilitate restoration of optimal nutritional status and improve metabolic and weight outcomes.