A natural component of dairy and beef products could help with the battle of the bulge.In a new study at the University of Alberta, researchers are looking at natural conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in fighting obesity and related conditions such as Type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. Vaccenic acid will also be evaluated.“The knowledge from this study will give us a clearer picture not only of the benefits of natural CLA and related VA but also the mechanisms that underlie those benefits,” said Dr. Spencer Proctor, director of the Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases Laboratory at the Alberta Institute for Human Nutrition, in the CLA Nework website.The network is a Canada-based multi-disciplinary network examining the health potential of natural CLA and other beneficial dairy and beef fatty acids or lipids.The incidence of obesity and associated metabolic disorders has increased around the world, with approximately $4.3 billion annually spent on obesity and obesity related diseases in Canada.CLA and related VA in their natural forms are produced only by ruminant animals such as dairy and beef cattle.A portion of CLA and VA is naturally present in the milk and meat from these animals and a growing body of research points to these components as healthy fats with potential benefits for battling chronic diseases.Natural CLA and related VA could play a beneficial role in body weight regulation, which protects against obesity and related chronic conditions, according to information on the CLA website.Research to date has established that the effects of CLA on modulating body fat are mainly linked to in-creased energy expenditure and improved lipid metabolism. This points toward CLA having an effect on certain neurological pathways that are known to regulate these areas.A study led by Natalie Racine and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in May that examined CLA in overweight children for seven months found some positive benefits on weight.
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