Research

Hormonal

Higher circulating levels of specific trans fatty acids (t-16:1n9 and t-18:1) are positively associated with an increased risk of incident type 2 diabetes in older adults, but this association is largely explained by their correlation with de novo lipogenesis (DNL) markers rather than a direct causal effect of the trans fats themselves.

Focus on overall dietary quality rather than fixating solely on trans fats. This study suggests that high levels of certain circulating fatty acids, which are linked to how your body produces its own fats (de novo lipogenesis), are associated with higher diabetes risk. Since dietary self-reports didn't show a clear link, prioritizing whole foods, fiber, and healthy fats (like those in fish and nuts) is likely more effective for diabetes prevention than just avoiding processed foods with trans fats.

GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
In biomarker analyses... both t-16:1n9... and t-18:1... levels were associated with higher incident DM after adjustment for de novo lipogenesis fatty acids... These findings highlight the need for further observational, interventional, and experimental studies of the effects TFA on DM.
Qianyi Wang et al. · Diabetes Care · 2015

Why this rating

Large prospective cohort (Cardiovascular Health Study), long follow-up (up to 2010), objective biomarker measurement, but observational design limits causal inference.

Source

Circulating and Dietary <i>Trans</i> Fatty Acids and Incident Type 2 Diabetes in Older Adults: The Cardiovascular Health Study

Qianyi Wang et al. · Diabetes Care · 2015

DOI 10.2337/dc14-2101

cohort · n=4207Cited 49×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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