Cross-sectional associations of plasma fatty acid composition and estimated desaturase and elongase activities with cardiometabolic risk in Finnish children-The PANIC study

- Higher plasma SFA were associated with higher cardiometabolic risk score in children.
- Lower plasma linoleic acid was associated with higher cardiometabolic risk score.
- Higher estimated SCD activity was associated with higher cardiometabolic risk score.
- Lower estimated elongase activity was associated with higher cardiometabolic risk score.
- To conclude, endogenous FA metabolism may be closely related to cardiometabolic risk.

BackgroundKnowledge on the association of plasma fatty acid (FA) composition in triacylglycerol (TG) and phospholipid (PL) fractions with cardiometabolic risk in population-based samples of children is lacking.ObjectiveWe investigated the associations of proportions of FA in plasma TG and PL fractions as well as estimated desaturase and elongase activities with cardiometabolic risk in a population sample of 384 children aged 6-8 years.MethodsPlasma FA composition was analyzed by gas chromatography. Desaturase and elongase activities were estimated as product-to-precursor FA ratios. Cardiometabolic risk was assessed using a continuous cardiometabolic risk score (CRS) variable.ResultsHigher proportions of myristic and palmitoleic acids in plasma TG and PL were associated with a higher CRS. A lower proportion of linoleic acid in plasma TG was related to a higher CRS. Estimated stearoyl-CoA-desaturase and Δ6-desaturase activities in plasma TG and PL were directly associated with CRS, whereas estimated elongase activity in plasma TG and PL was inversely related to CRS.ConclusionsGreater proportions of myristic and palmitoleic acids and a smaller proportion of linoleic acid in plasma, as well as higher estimated stearoyl-CoA-desaturase and Δ6-desaturase activities and a lower estimated elongase activity, are associated with cardiometabolic risk factors among children. These findings reinforce the evidence that FA metabolism is closely associated with cardiometabolic risk, starting already from childhood.