Olive Oil May Benefit Impaired Glucose Regulation and Other Cardiometabolic Risk Factors

Keywords: GLUCOSE REGULATION, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, METABOLIC DISEASE, CARDIOMETABOLIC RISK – Olive Oil

Reference: “Olive oil has a beneficial effect on impaired glucose regulation and other cardiometabolic risk factors,” Soriguer F, Rojo-Martinez, et al, Eur J Clin Nutr, 2013 July 17; [Epub ahead of print]. (Address: Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Barcelona, Spain Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Hospital Universitario Carlos Haya (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain).

Summary: In a population-based, cross-sectional, cluster sampling study involving 4,572 individuals in the Spanish population, consumption of olive oil (found in 90% of the Spanish population) as opposed to sunflower oil, was found to be associated with a lower risk of obesity (OR=0.62), impaired glucose metabolism (OR=0.49), hypertriglyceridemia (OR=0.53), and low HDL cholesterol (OR=0.40). The authors conclude, “…Consumption of olive oil has a beneficial effect on different cardiovascular risk factors, particularly in the presence of obesity, impaired glucose tolerance or a sedentary lifestyle.”