Diabetes is on the rise–and scientists are struggling to reduce its prevalence.
Now researchers have identified one reason why diabetes is so hard to control.
According to a new study from the University of British Columbia, having too much corn oil could cause insulin resistance and impaired glucose disposal–two risk factors that can eventually lead to a diabetes diagnosis.
And the reason why? Corn oil contains a type of fat no one should consume: omega 6 fatty acids.
“We found that glucose disposal was delayed in corn oil fed mice compared to olive oil fed mice, which essentially means that corn oil fed mice became pre-diabetic within six weeks,” says Sanjoy Ghosh, a biologist from the University of British Columbia. “Loss of physical activity and development of insulin resistance under a high-fat diet, as performed in this study, is well established in humans.”
The study, which was reported in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, involved splitting laboratory mice into two groups to receive two different diet plans–a high-fat diet comprised of corn oil or a high-fat diet containing olive oil. Naturally, both oils are high in fat yet contain two distinctly different types of fats, called omega 6 fatty acids and omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 6 fatty acids are often associated with adverse health outcomes.
Not surprisingly, the mice who ate a diet rich in corn oil didn’t fare well in this study. According to researchers, they began developing signs of pre-diabetes in less than 2 months, including insulin resistance. The mice whose diets contained olive oil still remained healthy, however.
In addition to these symptoms, the mice also felt more lethargic while consuming corn oil–something that also impaired their ability to move around more, making it harder to burn off excess calories. Excess fat is also associated with a higher diabetes risk.
“Such a dietary shift also parallels rising sedentary behaviour [sic] and diabetes in the Western world,” write researchers in the online version of the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. “We queried if a shift in dietary fats could be linked to physical inactivity and insulin insensitivity in mice. If this data holds true for humans, this study could provide a novel link between recent increases in dietary n-6 PUFA to sedentary behaviour [sic] and the development of insulin resistance in the Western world.”
What This Means For You
Oftentimes we’re told fat is bad for us–but now this study shows that the type of fat you eat matters more. To keep your risk of diabetes low, cut the corn oil out of your diet–or better yet, replace it with oils that contain healthy fats, such as olive oil.
Readers: What sort of oils do you use in your diet?
Sources:
Diet Rich in Corn Oil Leads to Lethargy and Pre-Diabetic Symptoms: UBC Study – VancouverSun.com
A High Fat Diet Rich in Corn Oil Reduces Spontaneous Locomotor Activity and Induces Insulin Resistance in Mice (Study) – JNutBio.com
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