A diet high in whole grains has already been touted for promoting weight loss.

Now researchers at Penn State have found that it may also reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases like diabetes and heart problems.

"Consumption of whole grains has been associated with a lower body weight and lower blood pressure," said co-author Penny Kris-Etherton, distinguished professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State, in a release.

"We thought that incorporating whole grains into a heart-healthy weight loss diet may provide the same benefits to people at risk from chronic diseases."

The Penn state researchers observed the impact whole grain diets — versus refined grain diets — had on 50 obese adults, split evenly between the sexes. The participants were between the ages of 20 to 65 and all had metabolic syndrome, a group of conditions that occur together which increase a person's risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

These can include increased blood pressure, elevated insulin levels, excess body fat around the waist or abnormal cholesterol levels.

One group solely ate whole grains while the other consumed only refined grains. Both sets of participants were observed over a 12-week period, during which time they were given the same dietary pointers, tips on weight loss and encouraged to exercise at a moderate pace.

The participants were also asked to eat five servings a day of fruits and vegetables, three servings of low-fat dairy products and two servings of lean meat, fish or poultry.

While participants in both groups lost eight to 11 pounds on average over the course of the study, the group eating whole grains lost more abdominal fat.

This group also had a 38 per cent drop in C-reactive protein, an inflammatory marker which indicates a person is at increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

"Typically you would expect weight loss to be associated with a decrease in C-reactive protein, but the refined grain group showed no decrease in this marker of inflammation even though they lost weight," said Kris-Etherton.

The authors point out that such a dramatic decrease puts consumption of whole grains on par with taking statin drugs They recommend consuming food products in which 51 per cent or more of the grain comes from whole grain. These include oatmeal, whole grain cereal, brown rice, and whole-wheat pasta.

The study is published in the January 2008 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.