Serum Phospholipid Fatty Acids Levels, Anthropometric Variables and Adiposity in Spanish Premenopausal Women

• Main Authors: María del Pilar del Pozo, Virginia Lope, Inmaculada Criado-Navarro, Roberto Pastor-Barriuso, Nerea Fernández de Larrea, Emma Ruiz, Adela Castelló, Pilar Lucas, Ángeles Sierra, Isabelle Romieu, Véronique Chajès, Feliciano Priego-Capote, Beatriz Pérez-Gómez, Marina Pollán
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-06-01
• Series: Nutrients
• Subjects: fatty acids; desaturation index; obesity; body mass index; fat
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/6/1895

This study investigates the still uncertain association between serum phospholipid fatty acids (PL-FA), and anthropometric and adiposity variables. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1443 Spanish premenopausal women. Participants answered an epidemiological and a food frequency questionnaire. Anthropometric variables were measured using a bioimpedance scale. Serum PL-FAs levels were determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The association between body mass index (BMI), weight gain, body fat percentage, visceral fat index, and waist circumference with serum PL-FAs and desaturation indices was evaluated using multivariable linear regression models. BMI was positively associated with the relative concentration of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) (β = 0.94, q-val = 0.001), and with palmitoleic, dihomo-γ-linolenic (DGLA), arachidonic (AA) and α-linolenic acids, and was inversely associated with oleic, gondoic, trans-vaccenic, linoleic and γ-linolenic acids. Total fat percentage was positively associated with DGLA and AA, and inversely with linoleic and γ-linolenic acids. Low relative concentrations of some SFAs and high levels of n-6 PUFAs were associated with greater waist circumference. While the oleic/stearic and AA/DGLA acid ratios were inversely associated with BMI, DGLA/linoleic acid ratio was positively related to almost all variables. In addition to BMI, total fat percentage and waist circumference were also associated with certain individual fatty acids.