Effect of purple Plum juice on blood pressure in overweight/obese participants.

Metabolic syndrome is characterised by a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors, including central obesity, elevated blood pressure, dyslipidemia (low HDL cholesterol, high triglyceride levels & LDL cholesterol) and elevated plasma glucose levels. Individuals with metabolic syndrome have central obesity and at least one other risk factor to be clinical diagnosed with the syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is an emerging clinical challenge and imperative public health issue. Subjects with metabolic syndrome have a markedly increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. Prunus salicina, Queen Garnet plum (QGP), is a fruit that was naturally bred to have a high anthocyanin and antioxidant content, in a Queensland Government agriculture initiative. Queen Garnet plums showed anti-obesigenic properties. Studies in laboratory animals have shown that treatment with Queen Garnet plum juice improved the unhealthy blood lipid profile caused by a high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet. The primary object for this study is to monitor blood pressure changes with Queen Garnet plum juice. Blood pressure is measured by using an automatic sphygmomanometer for 12 weeks of duration.