A new study from UC Riverside links soybean oil, the most widely used cooking oil in the U.S., to obesity. Researchers say the oil affects weight gain through a specific genetic mechanism in the liver.
Published in the Journal of Lipid Research, the study examined why consuming soybean oil leads to significant weight gain in mice. Mice fed a high-fat diet rich in soybean oil gained considerable weight, while genetically engineered mice stayed lean.
These โtransgenicโ mice produced a variant of a liver protein called HNF4ฮฑ, which changes how the body processes linoleic acid, the main fat in soybean oil. โThis may be the first step toward understanding why some people gain weight more easily than others on a diet high in soybean oil,โ said Sonia Deol, the studyโs corresponding author.
Researchers explained that the liver transforms linoleic acid into molecules called oxylipins. High oxylipin levels are linked to inflammation and fat buildup, which can lead to obesity. The transgenic mice had lower oxylipin levels and healthier liver and mitochondrial function despite the same diet.
Soybean oil consumption in the United States has increased fivefold over the past century. It now accounts for nearly 10% of total caloric intake, making it a major component of the modern diet.
Professor Frances Sladek, co-author of the study, noted, โSoybean oil is more obesogenic than coconut oil. This study shows itโs the liverโs processing that matters.โ
Interestingly, the research found oxylipin levels in the liver, not the blood, are linked to weight gain. This suggests that common blood tests may miss early signs of metabolic damage caused by high soybean oil intake.
Deol emphasized, โSoybean oil isnโt inherently evil. But the quantities in which we consume it trigger pathways our bodies didnโt evolve to handle.โ The findings may help explain why some people gain weight faster than others and could guide future dietary recommendations.
In other news read more about: Pakistan Develops Heat-Tolerant Soybean Varieties To Cut Imports
