Linoleic acid intake is inversely associated with risk of type-II diabetes, accordingto a new study published in Diabetes Care.

The study followed 83,648 women from the Nurse’s Health Study (NHS), 88,610 women from NHSII, and 41,771 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Dietary data was collected every 2-4 years.

During follow-up, 18,442 type-II diabetes cases were documented. While replacing omega-3s or monounsaturated fats with omega-6s or linoleic acid specifically was not associated with a reduction in risk, replacing saturated fatty acids, trans fats, or carbohydrates with linoleic acid significantly reduced risk of type-II diabetes.