Patients With Diets High In Monosaturated Fatty Acids Saw Reduction In Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors

Researchers performed a randomized, controlled feeding study on 101 adults with obesity in the U.S. and Canada. Participants were randomly assigned to five low-calorie diets including five different treatment oils: canola DHA, canola oleic, canola, corn/safflower and flax/safflower. Participants assigned to the canola and canola oleic diets experienced a reduction in android fat mass (3.1 kg; P = .026 and 3.09 kg; P = .03, respectively) compared with the flax/safflower oil diet (3.2 kg), Liu and colleagues reported. This was particularly true for men. Decrease in abdominal fat was associated with a decrease in BP in the canola diet group (systolic BP: r = 0.26; P = .062; diastolic BP: r = 0.38; P = .0049), as well as the canola oleic diet group (systolic BP: r = 0.39; P = .004; diastolic BP: r = 0.45; P = .0006). Patients assigned to the canola oleic diet also had a decrease in triglycerides, which was associated with decreased fat mass (r = 0.42; P = .002). “In summary, short-term consumption of diets high in monounsaturated fatty acids provided by canola oil and canola oleic oil was associated with a reduced android fat mass in participants with or at risk for metabolic syndrome,” Liu and colleagues wrote. “These changes were associated with favorable shifts in cardiometabolic risk factors. Importantly, our findings provide evidence for a beneficial effect of dietary monounsaturated fatty acids in lowering cardiometabolic risk that we suggest is mediated by a decrease in android fat mass.” – by Andy Polhamus http://www.healio.com/endocrinology/obesity/news/in-the-journals/%7Bc950678c-7c57-4ae5-b3e3-dc3506820460%7D/high-monounsaturated-fatty-acid-diets-reduce-fat-mass-metabolic-risk-factors