Saturday June 14, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- Doctors may have told you that eating sugar may increase risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus.  But research has also shown that intake of trans fat and saturated fat, which is found high in meat, can too increase risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

A new study in Diabetes confirms intake of saturated fat can increase risk of glucose intolerance, which is a principal feature of type 2 diabetes mellitus.  And saturated fat intake was also found to have a negative impact on the brain activity affecting cortical activity, locomotion, and sleep.

The study in the meantime shows intake of monounsaturated fat or fatty acids found high in olive oil and sunflower oil has beneficial effects for the brain activity.

For the study, mice received either monounsaturated fatty acid supplements or saturated fatty acid supplements.  And their brain activity was assessed.

Both monounsaturated fatty acids and saturated fatty acids were found to significantly increase fat mass, but only saturated fatty acid supplementation caused glucose intolerance in mice.

Saturated fatty acids significantly decreased cortical activity while monounsaturated fat improved the activity.  Saturated fat also "decreased wakefulness and increased non-rapid eye movement sleep"

In mice fed monounsaturated fat, an intracerebroventricular application of insulin promoted locomotor activity. This was not observed in saturated fat fed mice.

Saturated fat caused a decrease in hippocampal and cortical activity in humans.

The study concluded "dietary intake of MUFAs (Monounsaturated fatty acids) promoted insulin action in the brain with its beneficial effects for cortical activity, locomotion, and sleep, whereas a comparable intake of SFAs acted as a negative modulator of brain activity in mice and humans."

This study suggests type 2 diabetes mellitus patients should avoid eating saturated fat.  Saturated fat is often a solid form of fat which can negative influence the rheology of the blood affecting the metabolism of glucose.  Unfortunately, type 2 diabetes patients are often advised to avoid sugar, but not saturated fat and trans fat. (david Liu, PHD)

Sartorius T, Ketterer C, Kullmann S, Balzer M, Rotermund C, Binder S, Hallschmid M, Machann J, Schick F, Somoza V, Preissl H, Fritsche A, Häring HU, Hennige AM.  Monounsaturated fatty acids prevent the aversive effects of obesity on locomotion, brain activity, and sleep behavior.  Diabetes. 2012 Jul;61(7):1669-79. doi: 10.2337/db11-1521. Epub 2012 Apr 9.