A recent study confirms the role of olive oil in weight management

A recent research review published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Evidence supporting olive oil as a healthy fat choice in weight management.

An international team of researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) analyzed data from 121,119 participants in three long-term studies (Nurses' Health Study, Nurses' Health Study II, and Health Professionals Followup Study) to examine the effect of dietary fat on weight over three decades.

Despite the popularity of olive oil for its benefits for the heart, there was still concern about its caloric density and its possible contribution to weight gain.

But the results of the review showed that consuming 7 grams of olive oil per day was associated with a decrease in weight gain over time, while other types of fat were associated with weight gain.

The researchers said:

“The long-term rise in olive oil consumption was inversely related to body weight in middle-aged adults in the United States. On the contrary, increased consumption of other added fats, such as butter and margarine, was associated with an increase in body weight.”

Results were proven across different age groups and body mass indexes, highlighting the advantages of olive oil as a dietary fat.

Challenges in interpreting results in the United States

However, the review noted difficulties in interpreting the role of olive oil in weight management in the United States.

Mary Flynn, a nutrition researcher at Brown University, told Olive Oil Times:

“It's very difficult, if not impossible, in the U.S. to determine if what people are using is real olive oil.”
“It may be called 'extra virgin', but you won't know if it contains polyphenols that give extra virgin olive oil its health benefits.”

She added:

“Therefore, it cannot be said conclusively that the healthy form of extra virgin olive oil has helped reduce weight over time.”

Flynn also noted that the study took into account factors such as diet quality and changes in fruit and vegetable consumption, but did not provide clear data on the change of olive oil consumption in relation to vegetable consumption.

She said:

“I can't help but think that someone who uses olive oil, especially in the U.S., is a 'different' person from someone who uses refined vegetable oils.”

She added:

“Vegetable seed oils are often found in margarines, fried foods, and mayonnaise, and are not usually part of a healthy diet. While olive oil may enhance vegetable consumption because it is often used in salads and vegetables.”

Additional research supports olive oil

Flynn says her own research supports the benefits of olive oil for weight management, explaining:

“The first study was published showing that women recovering from breast cancer lost more weight when they followed a vegan diet containing three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil per day, compared to a low-fat diet recommended by the National Cancer Institute.”
“More women also preferred this system during the six-month follow-up period, indicating that it was more acceptable.”

This review builds on previous findings such as a study PREDIMED The famous Spanish, which showed that consuming large amounts of olive oil in the context of the Mediterranean diet was not related to weight gain or waistline, even in a non-calorie restricted diet.

In another study, olive oil containing more than 366 mg/kg polyphenols resulted in better weight loss results compared to refined olive oil (only 2.7 mg/kg).

A comparative study between two diets containing olive oil and soy oil also found that both resulted in weight loss, but fat loss was higher in the olive oil group, as shown by body composition tests (DEXA).

The role of social and economic factors

The review authors noted that olive oil intake is more common among higher income groups, who also consume higher amounts of vegetables, which may explain weight loss.

But Flynn has confirmed that her vegan olive oil-based diet has proven effective even among lower income groups:

“A study was published that showed that a cooking program using my vegan recipes based on olive oil in food distribution centers (food pantries) led to weight loss within six months, despite the absence of any nutritional education in the program.”
“The program has also contributed to increasing vegetable consumption and improving food security.”

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source: Olive Oil Times