The little-known oil which could be driving obesity – and is in more foods than you think
New study links commonly used oil to weight gain
- A new study suggests that soybean oil, commonly found in processed foods, may contribute to weight gain due to how it is metabolised in the body, rather than the oil itself.
- Researchers at the University of California, Riverside, found that excessive consumption of soybean oil triggers metabolic pathways that bodies are not evolved to handle.
- Experiments on mice showed that a group without genetic modifications gained significant weight on a soybean oil-rich diet, while a genetically modified group, with altered fat metabolism, did not.
- The study indicates that genetics and modern diets play a crucial role in obesity linked to soybean oil, with the oil's linoleic acid converting into oxylipins, which are associated with inflammation and fat accumulation.
- Although human trials are not planned, the findings aim to inform future research and nutrition policy regarding the health implications of excessive soybean oil consumption.