Research
Hormonal
Higher proportions of saturated fatty acids (palmitic acid) and lower proportions of linoleic acid in serum lipids and skeletal muscle phospholipids are strongly associated with reduced insulin sensitivity in observational studies.
Your blood fat profile (specifically high saturated fat and low linoleic acid) is a strong warning sign for insulin resistance. While changing fats won't 'cure' resistance quickly, maintaining a profile rich in unsaturated fats is associated with better insulin sensitivity.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
insulin sensitivity was associated with low proportions of palmitic (16 : 0) and palmitoleic (16 : 1 n-7) acids and a high proportion of linoleic acid (18 : 2 n-6).
Why this rating
Strong, consistent observational data across multiple populations and studies.
Source
Dietary fat and insulin action in humans
Bengt Vessby · British Journal Of Nutrition · 2000
DOI 10.1017/s000711450000101x
narrative_reviewCited 290×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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