(P04-003-25) The Effects of Linoleic Acid-Rich Soybean Oil on Ectopic Liver Fat in Adults Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Randomized Controlled Double-Masked Trial

Objectives: One third of adults worldwide have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Biomarkers of linoleic acid (LA) are inversely correlated with liver fat and lower in adults with NAFLD compared to lean adults. To assess whether daily consumption of dietary LA alters hepatic fat content and visceral adipose tissue, we conducted a parallel arm double-masked randomized placebo-controlled trial providing LA-rich soybean oil (SO) daily to adults with NAFLD.

Methods: Seventy-nine adults with NAFLD were randomly assigned to consume 3 study foods per day each made with 10g of LA-rich SO or palm oil (PO) for 16 weeks (30g oil/day).
Participants were instructed by a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) to maintain their body weight throughout the study. At the start and end of the 16-week randomized intervention period, liver fat and stiffness, and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were assessed through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/magnetic resonance elastography (MRE).  Fasting blood samples were analyzed for fatty acid composition and markers of glycemia and inflammation.

Results: Of the 79 adults randomized, 40 received the PO study foods and 33 received the SO study foods. Average body weight did not significantly change in either group during the 16 weeks. There was a significant difference in the change in percent liver fat between the SO and PO group (p=0.03), with an average change of 1.043 in the PO and -1.298 in the SO group. Subgroup analysis by sex revealed a larger between-group difference in the change in percent liver fat in females than in males (interaction p=0.02). Change in liver stiffness and VAT was not different between the diet groups. Plasma LA increased in the SO group but did not change in the PO (p < 0.01), while plasma palmitic acid increased in the PO group but did not change in the SO group (p=0.01). Markers of glycemia and inflammation were not altered.

Conclusions: Consuming LA-rich oil through food holds promise for decreasing liver fat in adults with NAFLD, particularly in females.

Funding Sources: This research is funded by the United Soybean Board.