Candido FG, et al. – The goal of this study was to assess the impacts of energy–restricted diet containing extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) on body composition and metabolic disruptions related to obesity. Among study participants, an attenuation in body fat and improvement in blood pressure was consequently seen following EVOO consumption. Findings suggested that EVOO should be included into energy–restricted programs for obesity treatment.

Methods

• This is a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial in which 41 adult women with excess body fat (mean ± SD 27.0 ± 0.9 year old, 46.8 ± 0.6% of total body fat) received daily high-fat breakfasts containing 25 mL of soybean oil (control group, n = 20) or EVOO (EVOO group, n = 21) during nine consecutive weeks.
• Breakfasts were part of an energy-restricted normal-fat diets (-2090 kJ, ~32%E from fat).
• Anthropometric and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were assessed, and fasting blood was collected on the first and last day of the experiment.

Results

• Fat loss was ~80% higher on EVOO compared to the control group (mean ± SE: -2.4 ± 0.3 kg vs. -1.3 ± 0.4 kg, P = 0.037).
• EVOO also reduced diastolic blood pressure when compared to control (–5.1 ± 1.6 mmHg vs. +0.3 ± 1.2 mmHg, P = 0.011).
• Within-group differences (P < 0.050) were observed for HDL-c (-2.9 ± 1.2 mmol/L) and IL-10 (+0.9 ± 0.1 pg/mL) in control group, and for serum creatinine (+0.04 ± 0.01 µmol/L) and alkaline phosphatase (-3.3 ± 1.8 IU/L) in the EVOO group.
• There was also a trend for IL-1β EVOO reduction (-0.3 ± 0.1 pg/mL, P = 0.060).