Can eating chilli peppers increase risk of obesity?

New research suggests consuming chilli peppers frequently may be linked to increased risk of obesity.

Previous research has suggested capsaicin, the main bioactive compound in chilli peppers, provides potential health benefits in relation to the management of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

However, several large-scale observational studies have revealed a significant association between the frequency of spicy food intake and overall obesity.

This latest study published in Frontiers in Nutrition explored the link between chilli pepper intake and obesity risk by analysing data from 6,138 American adults.

Similar to other observational studies, the new study found that frequent chili pepper consumption was linked to a higher body mass index and obesity risk, especially in females and adults over 60.

However, this was an observational study, so the researchers did not establish a causal link between chilli consumption frequency and obesity risk.

 The study authors suggest that “controlling chilli intake frequency could potentially contribute to improved weight management in the general population.”

 However rather than avoiding chilli peppers, experts recommend consuming chilli peppers alone or within healthier recipes instead of the calorie-dense or high-fat dishes in which chilli is most often used.