Canola oil and body weight in type 2 diabetes
What it found
In adults with type 2 diabetes, canola oil led to a small rise in body weight and visceral fat over 9 weeks.
Waist circumference and central obesity index fell with all the oils tested.
What they found
Studies in people
Body weight
Body weight rose slightly within the sesame oil and canola oil periods, by 0.34 kg and 0.33 kg respectively.
Visceral fat
Visceral fat rose slightly within the sesame oil and canola oil periods, by 0.13% for each.
Body mass index
Body mass index rose slightly within the sesame oil period, by 0.13 kg m-2.
Waist and central obesity
All three treatment oils led to reduced waist circumference and index of central obesity.
Visceral fat in females
In females, visceral fat fell by 0.14% with the sesame-canola blend and rose by 0.12% with sesame oil, a significant difference between the two periods.
What the authors conclude
“Sesame and canola oils might lead to a modest favorable body fat redistribution by reducing central adiposity, particularly in females; however, the changes were of little clinical importance.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say sesame and canola oils might lead to a modest favorable body fat redistribution by reducing central adiposity, particularly in females.
- They note that the changes were of little clinical importance.
How it was done
Recent investigations have proposed that sesame and canola oils might affect body fat distribution.
93 adults with type 2 diabetes replaced their regular dietary oil with sesame oil, canola oil, or a sesame-canola blend (40% sesame, 60% canola). Each oil was taken for 9 weeks, separated by 4-week wash-out periods. Body weight and composition were measured at the beginning, middle and end of each phase.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- The study lasted 9 weeks per oil, so it cannot show what happens over longer periods.
- The participants all had type 2 diabetes, so the results may not apply to other people.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Iran
The paper
- Title
- Effects of sesame, canola and sesame-canola oils on body weight and composition in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized, triple-blind, cross-over clinical trial
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Raeisi-Dehkordi H, Amiri M, Moghtaderi F, et al (2021). Effects of sesame, canola and sesame-canola oils on body weight and composition in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized, triple-blind, cross-over clinical trial. Journal of the science of food and agriculture. doi:10.1002/jsfa.11265PubMed 33899246DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error