Effects of a functional light cheese naturally enriched with CLA and omega-3 improving blood lipid profile in overweight and obese people treatment

Rationale: Popular interest in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and omega-3 as biomedical tools is rising due to beneficial effect on health by improving different cardiovascular risk factor such as dyslipidemia. Nevertheless is necessary to clarify the efficiency with well-designed clinical trials. Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled study, 53 overweight and obese subjects (BMI ≥25<35 kg/m2) without drug treatment, received during 12 weeks 2 servings/day (serving = 30 g) of a functional light cheese (FC) enriched with CLA (1%) and omega-3 (1%) or control light cheese (CC) (CLA: 0.6%; omega-3: 0.5%). A hypocaloric balanced diet was designed and maintained during the study for all participants. Dietetic, anthropometric, blood lipid profile, Apo A, Apo B, and different cardiovascular risk scores (LDL/HDL, Col/HDL, ApoB/ApoA) were collected and calculated at baseline and end of the study. Results: No statistical differences were found in caloric intake restriction between groups. After 12 weeks of intervention, FC group decreased total-cholesterol (240.9±26.1 to 231.9±27.9, p < 0.05), LDL (161.0±21.0 to 152.8±24.3 mg/dL), TG (132.0±61.4 to 106.1±55.7 mg/dL, p < 0.001) and Apo B (110.2±17.2 to 100.5±17.2 mg/dL, p < 0.01). Moreover FC group decreased the ApoB/ApoA ratio (0.76±0.21 to 0.64±0.17, p < 0.001) at the end of the intervention. The percentage of subjects in FC group with LDL levels below the reference value for cardiovascular risk (≥160 mg/dL) fell 11.2% from baseline to end of the intervention (p < 0.07). CC group increased this percentage (3.8%). Conclusion: A light cheese naturally enriched with CLA and Omega-3 could be adequate to be use in a control weight treatment and promote a beneficial modulation of blood lipid profile, and therefore reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in overweight and obese population.