Diacylglycerol (DAG) may undergo differential metabolism compared with
triacylglycerol (TAG) in humans, possibly resulting in decreased serum TAG concentration and TAG synthesis and increased energy expenditure (EE), thus reducing fat accumulation. Our objective was to examine the efficacy of DAG oil (Enova oil) consumption on serum
lipid profiles, hepatic lipogenesis, EE, and
body weight and composition compared with a control oil-blend composed of sunflower, safflower, and rapeseed
oils at a 1:1:1 ratio. Twenty-six
overweight (78.3 +/- 3.6 kg
body weight and BMI 30.0 +/- 0.7 kg/m(2)) mildly hypertriglyceridemic (1.81 +/- 0.66 mmol/L) women underwent 2 treatment phases of 28 d separated by a 4-wk washout period using a randomized crossover design. They consumed 40 g/d of either DAG or control oil during treatment phases. The baseline, EE, fat oxidation, body composition, and
lipid profiles did not differ between the DAG and control oil intervention periods. Relative to control oil, DAG oil did not alter endpoint postprandial EE, fat oxidation, serum
lipid profiles, or hepatic lipogenesis. However, DAG oil consumption reduced (P < 0.05) accumulation of body fat within trunk, android, and gynoid regions at the endpoint compared with control oil, although neither DAG nor control oil altered any of these variables during the 4-wk intervention period compared with their respective baseline levels. We conclude that although DAG oil is not effective in lowing serum
lipids over a 4-wk intervention, it may be useful for reducing adiposity.