Over 50 years of research has sought to define the role
dietary fat plays in
cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Although optimal
dietary fat quantity has been keenly pursued over past decades, attention has recently centered on the value of
dietary fat quality. The purpose of the present review is to provide a critical assessment of the current body of evidence surrounding efficacy of dietary
monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) for reduction of traditional risk factors defining
metabolic syndrome (MetS) and CVD. Due to existing and emerging research on health attributes of MUFA rich diets, and to the low prevalence of
chronic disease in populations consuming MUFA rich
Mediterranean diets, national dietary guidelines are increasingly recommending dietary MUFA, primarily at the expense of
saturated fatty acids (SFA). Consumption of dietary MUFA promotes healthy blood
lipid profiles, mediates blood pressure, improves
insulin sensitivity and regulates
glucose levels. Moreover, provocative newer data suggest a role for preferential oxidation and metabolism of dietary MUFA, influencing body composition and ameliorating the risk of
obesity. Mounting epidemiological and human clinical trial data continue to demonstrate the cardioprotective activity of the MUFA content of
dietary fat. As the debate on the optimal
fatty acid composition of the diet continues, the benefit of increasing MUFA intakes, particularly as a substitute for dietary SFA, deserves considerable attention.