Chia Oil Supplementation Attenuates Obesity‐Induced Hepatic Steatosis, PVAT Inflammation, and Endothelial Dysfunction in Mice

Obesity promotes metabolic disturbances that contribute to hepatic steatosis, adipose tissue dysfunction, and vascular impairments. Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) plays a critical role in vascular homeostasis, yet little is known about plant-derived omega 3 fatty acids modulate PVAT remodeling during obesity. Here, we investigated whether dietary chia oil supplementation, an abundant source of α-linolenic acid, attenuates metabolic, inflammatory, and vascular dysfunction in obese mice. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a chow (C) or high-fat diet (HF) diet for 14 weeks and a subset of high-fat-fed mice received chia oil (1.5% v/v) from weeks 8-14 (HC). Chia oil improved insulin sensitivity, increased adiponectin levels, and reduced leptin and hepatic triglyceride accumulation. Histological and molecular analyses showed decreased macrovesicular steatosis and FABP4 expression beside increased CPT-1α and PGC-1α, indicating enhanced lipid oxidation. In mesenteric PVAT, chia oil reduced adipocyte hypertrophy and macrophage infiltration while increasing IL-10 and CD206 expression. Functionally, chia oil restored acetylcholine-induced vasodilation, reduced norepinephrine-mediated vasoconstriction, and increased AMPK phosphorylation. Chia oil supplementation ameliorates key features of obesity-associated metabolic dysfunction, supporting ALA-rich oils as promising nutritional strategies against metabolic disease.