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Association of adipose tissue arachidonic acid content with BMI and overweight status in children from Cyprus and Crete

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

Savvas C. Savva ,
Charalambos Chadjigeorgiou ,
Christos Hatzis ,
Michael Kyriakakis ,
George Tsimbinos ,
Michael Tornaritis  and
Anthony Kafatos
Savvas C. Savva*
Affiliation:
Research and Education Foundation of Child Health, Cyprus
Charalambos Chadjigeorgiou
Affiliation:
Research and Education Foundation of Child Health, Cyprus
Christos Hatzis
Affiliation:
Preventive Medicine and Nutrition Clinic, Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Greece
Michael Kyriakakis
Affiliation:
Preventive Medicine and Nutrition Clinic, Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Greece
George Tsimbinos
Affiliation:
Preventive Medicine and Nutrition Clinic, Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Greece
Michael Tornaritis
Affiliation:
Research and Education Foundation of Child Health, Cyprus
Anthony Kafatos
Affiliation:
Preventive Medicine and Nutrition Clinic, Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Greece
*
*Corresponding author: Dr Savvas C. Savva, fax +357 22 510903, email [email protected]
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Abstract

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The relationships between n-3 and n-6 fatty acids in subcutaneous fat, BMI and overweight status were investigated in eighty-eight children from Crete and Cyprus. Overweight status, BMI and serum lipid levels were similar in children at both locations, but Cretan children had higher levels of total MUFA than Cypriot children (62·2 (sd 2·8) v. 52·2 (sd 2·8)% area, respectively, P<0·001) and consequently Cypriot children had higher levels of total saturated, polyunsaturated, trans, n-3 and n-6 fatty acids. Cypriot children had also higher levels of individual n-3 and n-6 fatty acids, specifically linoleic, α-linolenic and dihomo-γ-linolenic acids. The variance of BMI was better explained (38·2%) by adipose tissue arachidonic acid content than any other n-3 and n-6 fatty acids. Mean levels of arachidonic acid, dihomo-γ-linolenic acid and docosahexaenoic acid were higher in overweight and obese subjects. All obese subjects fell in the 4th quartile of arachidonic acid levels, whereas 88·9% of overweight subjects fell in the 3rd and 4th quartile of arachidonic acid. These results indicate positive associations between adipose tissue arachidonic acid and BMI and overweight status. Further research could clarify whether this association is causal.

Keywords

Adipose tissueArachidonic acidFatty acidsOverweightChildren
Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 91 , Issue 4 , April 2004 , pp. 643 - 649
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2004

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