The effects of replacing dietary saturated fat by different monounsaturated fatty acid (ω-9MUFA) sources on serum lipids, body fat and bone in growing hypercholesterolemic rats were studied. Rats received one of the six different diets: AIN-93G (control, C); extra virgin olive oil (OO) + C; high-oleic sunflower oil (HOSO) + C or atherogenic diet (AT) for 8 weeks; the remaining two groups received AT for 3 weeks and then, the saturated fat was replaced by an oil mixture of soybean oil added with OO or HOSO for 5 weeks. Rats consuming MUFA-rich diets showed the highest body fat, hepatic index and epididymal, intestinal and perirenal fat, and triglycerides. T-chol and non-HDL-chol were increased in HOSO rats but decreased in OO rats. Bone mineral content and density were higher in both OO and HOSO groups than in AT rats. This study casts caution to the generalization of the benefits of MUFA for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia.

The relationship between obesity and periodontal disease (PD) in adults is well known (1). However, PD is much less frequent in pediatric populations, although gingivitis is often documented. Untreated gingivitis may progress to a more complex destructive chronic PD later in life (2). Children who are obese (OB) or overweight (OWt) may also present other comorbidities such as dyslipidemia and/or insulin resistance (IR), which may also contribute to the development of inflammatory processes observed in PD. We studied the occurrence of gingival inflammation related to excess body fat, dyslipidemia, and IR in 90 white healthy Argentinean children/adolescents. Children/adolescents were referred to the outpatient Nutrition Clinic, Hospital José de San Martin, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, for assessment and treatment of obesity. The ethical committees of the hospital and the university approved the study. Excess …

Olano C, et al. J Lipid Atheroscler. 2025 Jan;14(1):106-119. https://doi.org/10.12997/jla.2025.14.1.106

High salt (NaCl) intake has been associated with visceral adipose tissue (VAT) dysfunction independently of its impact on blood pressure. Liraglutide (LGT), a GLP-1 agonist, could be a potential therapeutic option. We investigated the impact of a chronic high-salt diet (HSD) on VAT homeostasis and evaluated the potential protective effects of LGT, a GLP-1 receptor agonist. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a standard diet (Control, C) or 8% NaCl (HSD) for 15 weeks and subsequently treated with LGT or vehicle for 5 weeks. In VAT, histological characteristics, collagen deposition, vascular density, mitochondrial dynamics, oxidative stress, and adipokine expression were evaluated. The HSD significantly decreased body weight, VAT mass, and adipocyte size (p < 0.05). Moreover, it impaired vascular density and induced interstitial fibrosis (p < 0.01). LGT treatment improved vascularization and VEGF expression and reduced fibrosis (p < 0.05 vs. the HSD). The HSD induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial fragmentation, which were attenuated by LGT (p < 0.001). Leptin levels were elevated by the HSD (p < 0.05) and normalized with LGT, while adiponectin levels increased. In conclusion, excessive salt consumption induces structural and metabolic dysfunction in VAT. LGT therapy mitigates several of these adverse effects, supporting its potential as a novel strategy for managing salt-sensitive adipose tissue dysfunction.