Cottonseed oil: the surprising weekly fix for your heart?

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). 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 or nursing/breastfeeding * 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, absorption, or 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 soy, dairy, gluten, Yellow No. 5, cottonseed oil, palm oil, and coconut 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)