Olive Oil And Weight Gain

The Study

Olive oil has been inversely associated with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and total mortality in the research literature. However, because it is so calorie dense, many limit consumption for fear of weight gain.

In this interesting study, Harvard University looked at olive oil consumption and 4 year weight gain in 121,119 members of the Nurses’ Health Study, Nurses Health Study II and Health Professional Follow-up Study. Subjects were followed for a minimum of 20 years.

The results showed that each ½ tablespoon of olive oil per day was inversely associated with body weight.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2025;121:1149-56

Take Home Message

In this cohort, olive oil consumption did not contribute to weight gain, but surprisingly was associated with weight loss. The researchers believed that the monounsaturated fats in olive oil increased satiety and thermogenesis in these subjects. This would explain the positive impact that olive oil had on their body weight.

You don’t need to limit olive oil if you are trying to manage your weight. It is one of the healthiest fats you can eat, so include it in your diet often.