Associations between erythrocyte membrane fatty acid compositions and insulin resistance in obese adolescents

• Overweight and obesity are significant growing public health problems in children.
• Increased FA levels are associated with insulin resistance in obese individuals.
• This is the first study evaluating EM FA levels in obese adolescents in Turkey.
• The importance of FAs, particularly EPA, is highlighted in obese adolescents.

Background/objectiveCytokines released from the adipose tissue and fatty acids (FAs) derived from lipolysis or uptake of fats go in to competition with glucose to be uptaken from the liver leads to insulin resistance (IR). We aimed to show the associations among serum lipid profile, FA compositions and IR.MethodsAnthropometrical measurements, biochemical parameters and erythrocyte membrane (EM) FA levels of 95 obese adolescents (41 with IR) and 40 healthy controls were compared.ResultsLDL-C, fasting insulin levels, HOMA-IR were significantly higher and HDL-C levels were significantly lower in obese patients than in controls (p = 0.013, p < 0.001, p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). EM C 24:0, C 16:1 ω7 and C 22:1 ω9 FA levels were significantly higher, while C 20:5 ω3 (EPA) levels were significantly lower in obese subjects than in controls (p < 0.001, p = 0.018, p < 0.001, p = 0.043 and p < 0.001, respectively). Moreover, when obese subjects divided into two groups according to the presence of IR; EM C 16:1 ω7 levels were still significantly higher and EPA levels were still significantly lower in both obese subjects with and without IR compared to controls (p < 0.001 for both).ConclusionSaturated FA intake should be decreased because of its role in the development of obesity and IR, and ω-3 group FA intake should be increased.