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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #219589
Title: Red blood cell fatty acid composition and the metabolic syndrome: NHLBI GOLDN study

Author
item Ordovas, Jose
item KABAGAMBE, EDMOND - UNIV OF ALABAMA, BIRM.
item TSAI, MICHAEL - UNIV OF MINNESOTA, MINNE.
item ARNETT, DONNA - UNIV OF ALABAMA, BIRM.
item PEACOCK, JAMES - UNIV OF MINNESOTA, MINNE.
item HOPKINS, PAUL - UNIV OF UTAH, SALT LAKE
item BORECKI, INGRID - WASHINGTON UNIV, MO
item HIXSON, JAMES - UNIV OF TEXAS, HOUSTON

Submitted to: Clinical Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/1/2007
Publication Date: 1/1/2008
Citation: Ordovas, J.M., Kabagambe, E., Tsai, M., Arnett, D., Peacock, J., Hopkins, P., Borecki, I., Hixson, J. 2008. Red blood cell fatty acid composition and the metabolic syndrome: NHLBI GOLDN study. Clinical Chemistry. 54(1):154-162.

Interpretive Summary: The metabolic syndrome is the most common disorder associated with cardiovascular disease and results from the combination of several risk factors encompassing disturbances in lipids, insulin, blood pressure and obesity. This syndrome is driven by genetic and non-genetic factors and diet and more specifically, dietary fatty acids may be a major environmental factor associated with this syndrome. We tested whether fatty acid classes measured in red blood cells are associated with the metabolic syndrome or its components. Included were men (n=497, 49+/-16 y) and women (n=539, 48+/-16 y) in the Genetics of Lipid-Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN) cross-sectional study conducted in Utah and Minnesota. The prevalence of the MetS was 36.8% in Utah and 39.6% in Minnesota. We observed significant correlations between fatty acid classes, insulin and components of the metabolic syndrome, and our study proves that polyunsaturated fats are inversely associated with the metabolic syndrome, while saturated fatty acids are positively associated with the metabolic syndrome probably through their effect on lipids, adiposity, insulin and blood pressure.

Technical Abstract: Different fatty acids may vary in their effect on the metabolic syndrome (MetS). We tested whether fatty acid classes measured in red blood cells (RBC) are associated with the MetS or its components. Included were men (n=497, 49+/-16 y) and women (n=539, 48+/-16 y) from 187 families in the Genetics of Lipid-Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN) cross-sectional study conducted in Utah and Minnesota. Fatty acids in RBC were measured with gas chromatography while data on confounders were obtained from interviewer-administered questionnaires. The prevalence of the MetS as defined by the updated Adult Treatment Panel III criteria was 36.8% in Utah and 39.6% in Minnesota (P>0.05). In a multivariate model that included four fatty acid classes, confounders and pedigree as a random effect, the odds ratios (95% CI) for the MetS in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th quartile of polyunsaturated fatty acids were 1.00, 0.72 (0.47-1.10), 0.67 (0.43-1.05) and 0.39 (0.24-0.64), respectively, P for trend=0.0002. For the corresponding quartiles of saturated fatty acids, the odds ratios were 1.00, 1.19 (0.77-1.84), 1.48 (0.94-2.34) and 1.63 (1.01-2.63), respectively, P for trend=0.03. Unlike n6 fatty acids, which showed an inverse association (P<0.05), n3, trans and monounsaturated fatty acid classes were not associated with the MetS (P>0.05). We observed significant (P<0.05) correlations between fatty acid classes, insulin and components of the MetS. In summary, polyunsaturated fats are inversely associated with the MetS while saturated fatty acids are positively associated with the MetS probably through their effect on lipids, adiposity, insulin and blood pressure.