Dietary Soybean vs. Palm Oils Differ in Effects on Liver Fat in Adults With MAFLD: A 16-Week, Double-Masked, Randomized Controlled Trial.
Martha A Belury, Rachel M Cole, Ai Ni et al.
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In 30 seconds
This 16-week, double-masked randomized controlled trial compared soybean oil, rich in linoleic acid, with palm oil in adults with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). Sixty-five adults completed the study, consuming foods providing 30 g of the assigned oil daily. Although the overall change in liver fat differed between groups, the difference was no longer statistically significant after adjustment for baseline liver fat (p = 0.14); adjustment for weight change also did not show a significant diet effect. Liver fat tended to decrease with soybean oil and increase with palm oil, but neither within-group change was significant.
Key findings
- After adjustment for baseline liver fat, the between-group difference in liver fat change was not significant (p = 0.14).
- The diet-group effect on liver fat change was not mediated by weight change (p = 0.11).
- Liver fat tended to decrease with soybean oil and increase with palm oil; both within-group changes had p = 0.11.
Why it matters
The trial tests whether the type of dietary oil may influence liver fat in adults with MAFLD, beyond the effects observed in healthy adults. Its adjusted findings do not establish a liver-fat advantage for soybean or palm oil, underscoring the uncertainty around oil-specific dietary strategies in this population.
What to keep in mind
The study included 65 completers and lasted 16 weeks; the authors call for larger trials.