155 Virgin Olive Oil Benefits These findings indicate that EVOO can promote favorable shifts in body composition -reducing fat mass while increasing lean mass- even in the absence of significant weight loss. This underscores the importance of going beyond traditional anthropometric metrics like body weight and BMI when evaluating metabolic improvements. From a precision nutrition perspective, this example illustrates two key principles: 1. Nutritional interventions may not benefit all individuals equally, but may have significant effects in genetically or metabolically defined subgroups. 2. Improved metabolic health may occur without changes in weight or BMI, highlighting the need for more nuanced and individualised outcome measures. As research advances, integrating genetic, microbiome, and metabolic profiling will allow for more precise dietary strategies -transforming olive oil from a general health-promoting food into a targeted therapeutic tool in the management of obesity and metabolic disease. Two key concepts should be kept in mind when interpreting current research findings. First, a given food may not produce uniform benefits across the entire population but may offer significant advantages for specific subgroups. Identifying these responsive individuals is central to the development of personalised nutrition strategies. Second, particularly in the context of obesity, traditional metrics such as body weight and body mass index (BMI) may fail to capture meaningful health improvements. Positive metabolic changes -such as enhanced insulin sensitivity, reduced inflammation, or improved body composition- can occur even in the absence of noticeable weight loss. Therefore, moving forward, the focus should shift from solely tracking changes in anthropometric measures to evaluating metabolic health outcomes, which provide a more comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of dietary interventions. 12.6. Conclusions Multiple lines of evidence support the beneficial role of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) in promoting healthy body composition and potentially preventing obesity. While epidemiological studies consistently show that adherence to the Mediterranean diet -in which EVOO is the primary fat source- is associated with lower prevalence of overweight and obesity, it remains challenging to isolate the effects of EVOO from the overall dietary pattern. Nevertheless, these findings suggest a protective effect that warrants further investigation.
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