[ effects of monounsaturated fatty acid-rich diet on the serum levels of visfatin, insulin and interleukin-6 in overweight women]

ABSTRACT

Little information is available on the effects of monounsaturated fatty acid-rich [MUFA-rich] diets on the serum adipocytokine levels. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of a MUFA-rich diet on the serum levels of insulin, visfatin and IL-6 in overweight women [25.0 >/= BMI clinical trial included 17 overweight women aged 20-50 years with a mean BMI of 27.6 +/- 2 kg/m[2]. The participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups consuming either a saturated fat-rich [SFA-rich; 16% SFA and 8% MUFA] or a MUFA-rich [16% MUFA and 8% SFA] diet for 6 weeks, with a 2-week washout period between the 2 periods. The percentages of energy derived from the other macronutrients were similar in the two diets. Biochemical assessments were done at the beginning and at the end of each period. Paired t-test was used for statistical analysis. The mean proportions of MUFA intakes were 13% and 7% of the total energy intake for MUFA- and SFA-rich diets, respectively, the corresponding values for SFA being 8.5% and 14%. The mean changes in the serum visfatin, insulin and IL-6 levels were not significantly different between the two diet periods; however, for serum visfatin levels, the difference [0.7 +/- 0.5 vs 0.4 +/- 0.4 nanogr/ml] was marginally significant [P=0.08]. Adjustment for potential confounders did not alter these findings [P=0.1]. The difference between the two diets as regards their effects on the serum insulin and adipocytokine levels did not reach statistical significanec [it was only marginal]. We recommend conducting long-term interventional studies with larger sample sizes to be able to draw more definite conclusions: