Can cottonseed oil improve cholesterol? trial tests common cooking oil against similar blends

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * 25-75 year-old men and women at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Increased risk for cardiovascular disease will be defined by either elevated cholesterol profiles -or- overweight/obesity. * Elevated cholesterol profiles will be defined as: -"Borderline High" and/or "at risk" in two of more of the following variables (total cholesterol: 180-239 mg/dL, LDL cholesterol 110-159 mg/dL, triglycerides 130-199 mg/dL) --or-- * "High" in total cholesterol (240 mg/dL and higher), LDL (160 mg/dL or higher), or triglycerides (between 200-350 mg/dL). Overweight/obesity will be defined by body mass index \>25 kg/m². Exclusion Criteria: * Probable familial hypercholesterolemia, defined by: total cholesterol greater than 290 mg/dL or LDL levels greater than 190 mg/dL plus a family history of myocardial infarction (MI) before 50 years of age in a 2nd-degree relative or below age 60 in a 1st-degree relative. * Women on hormone replacement therapy less than 2 years. * Women who are pregnant * individuals who regularly exercise more than 3h/w * weight gain or loss of more than 5% body weight in the past 3 months * plans to begin a weight loss/exercise regimen during the trial * history of medical or surgical events that could affect digestion or swallowing * gastrointestinal surgeries, conditions, or disorders * any chronic diseases (including moderate to severe asthma, chronic lung disease, and kidney disease), * metabolic disease * atherosclerosis * previous MI or stroke * cancer * fasting blood glucose levels greater than 126 mg/dL * blood pressure greater than 180/120 mmHg * medication use affecting digestion an absorption, metabolism (e.g. thyroid meds), lipid-lowering medications, medications for diabetes, steroid/hormone therapies, or current antibiotic cycles * medically prescribed or special diets * Food allergies (specific to the foods in the study, including wheat, dairy, and cottonseed oil) * fish oil supplements * excessive alcohol use (greater than 3 drinks/day for men; greater than 2 drinks/day for women) * tobacco or nicotine use * underweight BMI (\<18.5 kg/m²)