HIGH-MONOUNSATURATED FAT DIET-INDUCED OBESITY AND DIABETES IN C57BL 6J MICE/

A high-monounsaturated fat diet has been proposed as a palatable alter native to a high-carbohydrate diet in diabetic patients, but it is unk nown whether a higher intake of monounsaturated fat induces obesity an d diabetes, as usually observed with other types of fat. To answer thi s question, C57BL/6J mice were divided into three groups: the first gr oup was given a high-carbohydrate diet, and the other two groups were given a high-monounsaturated fat diet (60% of total energy) as olive o il or synthetic triolein for 4 months. It has been previously reported that the C57BL/6J mouse has a genetic predisposition for intraabdomin al obesity and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) by high -polyunsaturated fat (n-6) feeding. Although there were no significant differences in energy intake and fat absorption among these three gro ups, compared with the high-carbohydrate diet, both high-monounsaturat ed fat diets produced hyperglycemia, obesity, and triglyceride accumul ation in the liver and skeletal muscle. These data indicate that the r ecently recommended high-monounsaturated fat diet might induce obesity and diabetes. Copyright (C) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Company.