High-fat diets reduce inflammation compared to low fat diets

This study was published in Lipids 2008 Jan;43(1):65-77

 

Study title and authors:

Comparison of low fat and low carbohydrate diets on circulating fatty acid composition and markers of inflammation.

Forsythe CE, Phinney SD, Fernandez ML, Quann EE, Wood RJ, Bibus DM, Kraemer WJ, Feinman RD, Volek JS.
Department of Kinesiology, University of Connecticut, 2095 Hillside Road, Unit 1110, Storrs, CT, 06269-1110, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18046594

Inflammation is an important risk factor in metabolic syndrome, diabetes and heart disease. This study tested the effects of low-fat and high-fat diets on markers of inflammation. This was a 12 week randomised, controlled, dietary intervention trial and included 40 overweight men and women, aged 18-55 years.

The subjects consumed diets of either:
(i) 12% carbohydrate, 59% fat, 28% protein. (High-fat diet).
(ii) 56% carbohydrate, 24% fat, 20% protein. (Low-fat diet).

The study found there was an overall greater anti-inflammatory effect associated with the high-fat diet, as evidenced by greater decreases in inflammatory markers such as: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin 6, interleukin 8, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, E-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecules, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1.

The results of the study reveal that a high-fat diet reduces inflammation compared to a low fat diet.