Researchers are taking a closer look at how different types of dietary fat may affect the risk of type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a disease that affects millions of people worldwide and is associated with serious health complications and premature death. A new review has been published Trends in endocrinology and metabolism (Cell Press) explores the contrasting effects of two major dietary fatty acids: palmitic acid and oleic acid.
The study was led by a team from the CIBER Area for Diabetes and Related Metabolic Diseases (CIBERDEM) at the University of Barcelona.
“Palmitic acid, a saturated fatty acid commonly found in foods, has been associated with impaired insulin sensitivity, while oleic acid, which is abundant in olive oil, may have a protective effect against these metabolic disorders,” says Manuel Vázquez Carrera, professor at the UB School of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, the UB Institute of Biomedical Research (IBUB), and the Instituto de Sant Joan de Deu (IRSJD). Cyberdem.
Other contributors include Ricardo Rodríguez-Calvo from CIBERDEM at the Institut Pere Virgili Health (IISPV), Marta Tajes from the CIBER Cardiovascular Disease Area (CIBERCV) at the Belvidge Institute for Biomedical Research (IDIBELL), and Walter Wahli from the University of Lausanne (Switzerland).
Vázquez-Carrera said the findings suggest that the type of fat people eat may be more important than the total amount.
Professor Manuel Vázquez Carrera, group leader of UB’s CIBERDEM, points out that “this review focuses on the important role of dietary fat quality, rather than total consumption.”
How palmitic acid promotes diabetes
Researchers reviewed evidence showing that palmitic acid can trigger several biological processes associated with metabolic diseases.
“At the molecular level, palmitic acid promotes the accumulation of potentially toxic bioactive lipids, promotes low-grade chronic inflammation, and contributes to the dysfunction of organelles such as the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria,” said Xavier Palomar (UB-IBUB-CIBER-IRSJD), lead author of the paper.
The research team notes that these cellular changes are “closely linked to impaired insulin action and the progression of metabolic diseases.”
Oleic acid shows a protective effect
The situation is quite different for oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat found in large amounts in olive oil.
According to this review, oleic acid encourages the body to store fat in a form that does not interfere with metabolism and has little effect on normal cell function. It also helps maintain healthy insulin signaling in important metabolic tissues such as the liver, muscle, and adipose tissue.
Researchers say oleic acid may also offset many of the harmful effects associated with palmitic acid. This may help explain why dietary patterns rich in monounsaturated fats, including the Mediterranean diet, are consistently associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and other metabolic disorders.
Improving nutritional strategies for diabetes prevention
The authors emphasize that more targeted research is needed to better understand the differences observed across population studies.
“It is important to consider variables such as the source of fatty acids, their dietary context, interactions with other nutrients, and different food processing methods,” says Manuel Vázquez-Carrera.
The researchers believe that a clearer understanding of these factors will improve scientists’ ability to assess how different fats affect metabolic health. In turn, that knowledge may support the development of more effective dietary approaches for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes.
