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Adding pears to your diet could help trim your waistline.

According to a new study, people who consumed fresh pears were more likely to have smaller waistlines and lower body weight than people who did not eat pears. For this research, the team headed by Carol O'Neil of the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, analyzed data taken from a nationally representative sample of adults. They examined the effects of pear consumption on people's diet quality, nutritional intake and adequacy, and risk of heart disease.

The team found that people who ate fresh pear were 35 percent less likely to be obese when compared to people who did not include pears in their diet. Since the researchers did not find differences in exercise levels and energy intake between pear and non-pear eaters, O'Neil argued that the fiber found in pears could explain why pear eaters tend to be slimmer. One medium pear contains about "about 24 percent of daily fiber needs for only 100 calories," MedicalXpress reported.

The team also found that people who ate pears were more likely to have better diet quality. More specifically, people who ate one medium pear per day tended to have higher intake levels of dietary fiber, magnesium, potassium, copper, and vitamin C. They had lower daily intake levels of total monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids and added sugars.

A medium pear contains about 190 mg of potassium.

The study, "Fresh Pear Consumption is Associated with Better Nutrient Intake, Diet Quality, and Weight Parameters in Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2010," was published in the journal, Nutrition and Food Science.