Weight, Energy, Lipids, and the Liver (WELL) Study

The study objectives include:

• To determine the impact of dietary soybean oil on ectopic liver fat and visceral adipose in adults with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or similar diagnosis
• To evaluate the effect of soybean oil supplementation on postprandial lipids, markers of inflammation and energy metabolism
• To measure the strength of the association of change in plasma linoleic acid with changes in ectopic liver fat, visceral adipose, and postprandial lipids, markers of inflammation and energy metabolism
• To explore emerging mechanistic targets of LA-rich soybean oils that are linked with reduced liver fat and better cardiometabolic health

Inclusion criteria

• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) or similar
• Body Mass Index of 20-55 kg/m2

Exclusion criteria

• Unstable management of heart failure, heart disease events within 3 months, a need for heart surgeries or procedures, and/or the use of a pacemaker or defibrillator
• Current or previous diagnosis of severe kidney failure or diseases, some liver and pulmonary diseases
• Severe or uncontrolled circulatory diseases and autoimmune diseases
• Current diagnosis of or current treatment of cancer other than non-melanoma skin cancer
• Current or previous diagnosis of type 1 diabetes
• Use of Vitamin E supplements or Actos and Glucagon-like Peptide-1 medications for less than 1 months prior to enrolling.
• Gastrointestinal diseases or disorders (including pancreatic and gastric bypass surgery) that would prevent participants from tolerating the study foods
• Food Allergy or intolerances
• Any dietary restriction where consumption of the study foods, study meals/snack or meal challenge or any ingredient would be contraindicated
• Use of medications where consuming the food products would be contraindicated
• Use of supplements high in linoleic acid in the past 4 weeks prior to enrolling
• Hyperthyroidism
• Pregnancy and lactation
• Alcohol or drug abuse
• Inability to access veins for venipuncture
• Claustrophobia
• Metal implants or metallic foreign objects in the body