Effect of Vegetable Oils for Use by the Snack Food Industry on Plasma Lipid Levels and Inflammatory Markers

Effect of Conventional and Reformulated Vegetable Oils for Use by the Snack Food Industry on Plasma Lipid Levels and Inflammatory Markers

The current study is designed to assess the effect of a conventional cooking oil (hydrogenated oil) and a reformulated fat low in trans fatty acids on cardiovascular disease risk factors.

It is known that in subjects with high cholesterol levels that substitution of hydrogenated fat (high in trans fat) with vegetable oil results in higher levels of total and LDL cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol). There has been tremendous interest within the food industry to identify cooking fats that have the physical properties necessary to make shelf stable products and have textural characteristics similar to existing products but that also favorably affects risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) such as LDL cholesterol levels and inflammatory markers. The current study is designed to assess the effect of a conventional cooking oil (hydrogenated oil) and a reformulated fat low in trans fatty acids on cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Gender: female
• Age: 50-85 years
• LDL-C concentrations >120 mg/dL
• Menopausal status: postmenopausal

Exclusion Criteria:

• Use of medications known to affect lipid metabolism
• Untreated thyroid disease
• Diabetes mellitus
• Abnormal kidney function
• Abnormal liver function
• Smoking
• Alcohol consumption > 2 drinks/day