Okara, a soybean by-product, prevents high fat diet-induced obesity and improves serum lipid profiles in C57BL/6J mice

This study aimed to validate the anti-obesity effect of okara, a soyfood byproduct, in diet induced obese mice. Thirty two C57BL/6J male 4 week old mice were divided into four dietary groups (n=8) fed either normal diet (ND), high fat diet (HD), HD with 10% okara (OL), or HD with 20% okara (OH) for 12 weeks. Body weight gain and epididymal fat weight of OL and OH group were significantly lower than HD group. Similarly, the serum and hepatic lipid profiles in OH were significantly lower than HD group. The fecal triacylglycerol and TC levels in OL and OH increased compared to HD. Also, the expression of PPAR-α was higher in OH than HD group; PPAR-γ and FAS levels were lower in OH compared to HD. In this study, okara consumption appears to protect mice against diet induced obesity (DIO) and metabolic dysregulation related to obesity.