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Omega-6 can help prevent type 2 diabetes

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A new study suggests that the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2DM) could be significantly reduced through a diet rich in polyunsaturated omega-6 fats.

While recent studies have raised concern that omega-6s could have negative health effects such as inflammation, more recent research supports clinical recommendations to increase intake of omega-6-rich foods.

For the study, scientists analyzed data from 20 studies involving 39,740 adults from 10 countries, in which 4,347 new cases of diabetes occurred over time. They observed that higher proportions of linoleic acid biomarkers, such as the total percentage of fatty acids, were associated with a lower overall risk of type 2 diabetes. They also observed that arachidonic acid levels were not significantly associated with the risk of diabetes.

"Some scientists have theorized that omega-6 would be harmful to health," said lead author Dr. Jason Wu of the George Institute for Global Health in Sydney. "However, based on a large global study, we found little evidence for damage and we actually found that the main omega-6 fat is linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes."

Source: The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.

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