The effect of diets enriched with high-oleic sources on anthropometric, inflammatory, and blood pressure outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
- 1School of Nursing and Health, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475000, Henan, China. [email protected].
- 2School of Medical, Jishou University, Jishou, 416000, Huan, China.
- 3Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology Research Center, Pediatrics Centre of Excellence, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. [email protected].
Abstract
Background
High-oleic diets (HODs) have been proposed to improve obesity-related and inflammatory outcomes, yet randomized evidence remains inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effects of HODs compared with low-oleic diets (LODs) on anthropometric, inflammatory, and blood pressure indices.Methods
Randomized controlled trials assessing HODs versus LODs in adults were systematically identified. Most included interventions were designed to be eucaloric, aiming to maintain body weight and isolate the effects of fatty acid composition. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using random-effects models.Results
A total of 20 RCTs with 1009 participants published between 1991 and 2023 were included. HODs did not significantly affect body weight (WMD: - 0.11 kg; 95% CI: - 0.42 to 0.19), BMI (WMD: - 0.27 kg/m²; 95% CI: - 0.64 to 0.09), total body fat (WMD: - 0.13%; 95% CI: - 0.81 to 0.56), leptin, CRP, or cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-10). Blood pressure indices similarly remained unchanged. In contrast, a small but statistically significant increase in waist circumference (WC) was observed (WMD: 0.63 cm; 95% CI: 0.01 to 1.26), a finding replicated across subgroups with BMI > 25 kg/m², intervention duration ≤ 4 weeks, and ≥ 80% oleic-acid intake. Meta-regression showed no linear associations between oleic-acid proportion or duration and primary outcomes. Heterogeneity was consistently low.Conclusions
HODs appear metabolically neutral regarding weight, BMI, adiposity, systemic inflammation, and blood pressure, but may be associated with a very small increase in WC in certain subgroups, although the clinical relevance of this finding is likely minimal and may reflect short-term transient changes rather than meaningful adiposity gain. While the clinical significance of the observed WC increase is likely minimal, longer, larger trials are needed to clarify long-term effects on central adiposity and inflammatory processes.
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BibTeX
@article{zhang2026effect,
title = {{The effect of diets enriched with high-oleic sources on anthropometric, inflammatory, and blood pressure outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.}},
author = {Wuxing Zhang and Xiaojie Chen and Mohammad Hassan Sohouli},
journal = {Journal of health, population, and nutrition},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s41043-026-01403-w},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958361},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - The effect of diets enriched with high-oleic sources on anthropometric, inflammatory, and blood pressure outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
AU - Wuxing Zhang
AU - Xiaojie Chen
AU - Mohammad Hassan Sohouli
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/27
JO - Journal of health, population, and nutrition
DO - 10.1186/s41043-026-01403-w
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958361
AB - Background High-oleic diets (HODs) have been proposed to improve obesity-related and inflammatory outcomes, yet randomized evidence remains inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effects of HODs compared with low-oleic diets (LODs) on anthropometric, inflammatory, and blood pressure indices.Methods Randomized controlled trials assessing HODs versus LODs in adults were systematically identified. Most included interventions were designed to be eucaloric, aiming to maintain body weight and isolate the effects of fatty acid composition. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using random-effects models.Results A total of 20 RCTs with 1009 participants published between 1991 and 2023 were included. HODs did not significantly affect body weight (WMD: - 0.11 kg; 95% CI: - 0.42 to 0.19), BMI (WMD: - 0.27 kg/m²; 95% CI: - 0.64 to 0.09), total body fat (WMD: - 0.13%; 95% CI: - 0.81 to 0.56), leptin, CRP, or cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-10). Blood pressure indices similarly remained unchanged. In contrast, a small but statistically significant increase in waist circumference (WC) was observed (WMD: 0.63 cm; 95% CI: 0.01 to 1.26), a finding replicated across subgroups with BMI > 25 kg/m², intervention duration ≤ 4 weeks, and ≥ 80% oleic-acid intake. Meta-regression showed no linear associations between oleic-acid proportion or duration and primary outcomes. Heterogeneity was consistently low.Conclusions HODs appear metabolically neutral regarding weight, BMI, adiposity, systemic inflammation, and blood pressure, but may be associated with a very small increase in WC in certain subgroups, although the clinical relevance of this finding is likely minimal and may reflect short-term transient changes rather than meaningful adiposity gain. While the clinical significance of the observed WC increase is likely minimal, longer, larger trials are needed to clarify long-term effects on central adiposity and inflammatory processes.
SN - 1606-0997
SN - 2072-1315
ER -