Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, commonly called the "good fats," are found in foods such as olive, sunflower and canola oils; nuts and seeds; and avocados. Consumption of these unsaturated fats has been linked with lower risk of cardiovascular disease and other health benefits. While saturated fats, usually found in animal products, butter and dairy products, have been linked to weight gain and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Obesity has been linked with more than 20 different diseases, and lowering one's total cholesterol by as little as 10 points can be clinically beneficial, preventing the onset or progression of many of these conditions, UI scientists found.

Even if people who are metabolically healthy but overweight have not yet developed any of the weight-related comorbid diseases or conditions such as type 2 diabetes or heart disease, "we know that metabolic health, in the context of obesity, is a transient state that may not persist over time, and these individuals are at increased risk of developing different comorbidities," said co-author Sharon V. Thompson, a registered dietitian and pre-doctoral fellow at the university.

Statistics show that more than 60 percent of adults in the U.S. are obese or overweight, placing them at greater risk of weight-related diseases including high cholesterol and stroke.

The study, published recently in the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, is believed to be the first to examine the effects of replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats in the diets of more than 660 metabolically healthy individuals who were overweight or obese.