Published in:
01-04-2016 | Original Contribution
Association between n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in erythrocytes and metabolic syndrome in Chinese men and women
Published in: European Journal of Nutrition | Issue 3/2016
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Purpose
Evidence of an association between n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and metabolic syndrome (MS) is limited and inconsistent. We investigated the association between n-3 PUFAs in erythrocytes and the presence of MS in Chinese adults.
Methods
The levels of α-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in erythrocytes were measured using gas chromatography in 3072 participants (900 men and 2172 women) aged 30–75 years from Guangzhou, China. Cardiometabolic factors were determined, and MS was defined using the updated Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Other covariates were collected via interviewer-administered questionnaires.
Results
After adjusting for age and other confounders, higher levels of marine-derived n-3 PUFAs, including EPA, DPA, and DHA, were associated with a lower presence of metabolic syndrome in both men and women. The odds ratios (95 % confidence interval) for MS obtained by comparing extreme quartiles were 0.55 (0.35–0.88) (EPA), 0.54 (0.34–0.87) (DPA), 0.45 (0.27–0.73) (DHA), and 0.52 (0.32–0.84) (total n-3 PUFAs) in men (p trend <0.05 for all results); and 0.74 (0.56–0.99) (EPA), 0.73 (0.55–0.98) (DPA), 0.75 (0.56–1.02) (DHA), and 0.71 (0.53–0.96) (total n-3 PUFAs) in women, respectively. No significant association of ALA with MS was observed (p trend > 0.05).
Conclusion
Higher levels of total n-3 PUFAs, EPA, DPA, and DHA, but not of ALA, in erythrocyte membranes are associated with a lower presence of metabolic syndrome in Chinese adults.