The Role of Monounsaturated Fatty Acids in the Mitigation of Insulin Resistance
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The Role of Monounsaturated Fatty Acids in the Mitigation of Insulin Resistance Kim G. Jackson & Julie A. Lovegrove
Published online: 20 May 2010 # Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010
Abstract With the rising rate of obesity, there is considerable interest in dietary strategies to reduce insulin resistance, a major characteristic of the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Diets rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) have been suggested as an alternative to low-fat, highcarbohydrate diets to improve glycemic control. However, inconsistent effects have been observed with MUFA-rich diets in both healthy and insulin-resistant individuals. In studies that have reported favorable effects on insulin sensitivity, Mediterranean-style diets have been used that are rich not only in MUFA but also whole-grain foods, fiber, and carbohydrates with a low glycemic index. There is a need for intervention studies to examine the true impact of MUFA-rich oils on glycemic control in both Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean populations. In addition, the metabolic and genotypic status of the participants may also play a role in the inter-individual variability in insulin sensitivity in response to MUFA-rich diets. Keywords Glucose . Insulin . Mediterranean diet . Metabolic syndrome . Type 2 diabetes K. G. Jackson : J. A. Lovegrove Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition, Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AP, UK K. G. Jackson (*) : J. A. Lovegrove Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, PO Box 226, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AP, UK e-mail: [email protected] K. G. Jackson : J. A. Lovegrove Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research (ICMR), University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AP, UK
Introduction Interest in the cardioprotective effects of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) has stemmed from the findings of the Seven Countries Study conducted by Keys et al. [1, 2] in the 1960s. Populations living around the Mediterranean, consuming diets rich in MUFA, were reported to have lower plasma cholesterol concentrations compared with northern European cohorts despite consuming similar or higher intakes of total fat (33%–40% calories). Closer examination of the diets revealed the Mediterranean populations to have a lower habitual intake of saturated fatty acids (SFA, 7%–8% calories) [1, 2], as MUFA-rich olive oil is the main fat source in this region. However, the fatty acid profile of a typical Mediterranean diet is not the only potential modulator of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk reduction, as it is also characterized by greater intakes of fruits and vegetables, nuts, legumes, and fish, a moderate intake of alcohol, and low intakes of red meat, refined carbohydrates, and whole-fat dairy products. There has been significant interest over the years as to whether the effects of the Mediterranean diet on lipids and insulin sensitivity were due solely to the high MUFA content. Although a large number of studies have examined the effects of substitu
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