Erythrocyte Membrane Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Are Associated with Incidence of Metabolic Syndrome in Middle-Aged and Elderly People—An 8.8-Year Prospective Study. Issue 6 (13th March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ding, Ding; Li, Yi-hong; Xiao, Mian-li; Dong, Hong-li; Lin, Jie-sheng; Chen, Geng-dong; Chen, Zhan-yong; Tang, Xin-yi; Chen, Yu-ming
• Is Part Of: Journal of nutrition. Volume 150:Issue 6(2020)
• Page Start: 1488
• Page End: 1498
• Publication Date: 2020-03-13
• Subjects: erythrocyte -- fatty acids -- nutrition -- metabolic syndrome -- cardiovascular risk factors -- prospective study; Nutrition -- Periodicals; Diet -- Periodicals; 613.205
• DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxaa039
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-3166

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Background: The total and specific types of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) related to metabolic syndrome (MetS) remain inconsistent. Objective: We assessed the association of erythrocyte n–3 and n–6 PUFAs with MetS and the components of MetS in a cohort population. Methods: This prospective analysis included 2754 participants (aged 40–75 y) from the Guangzhou Nutrition and Health Study (2008–2019) in China. Erythrocyte PUFAs at baseline were measured using gas chromatography. MetS was assessed every 3 y according to the updated National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate HRs and 95% CIs. Results: We identified 716 incident cases of MetS. The primary analyses showed that the HRs (95% CIs) of MetS (tertile 3 versus 1) were 0.67 (0.56, 0.80) for n–3 PUFAs and 0.70 (0.58, 0.85) for n–6 PUFAs (all P s trend <0.001). The secondary outcomes showed that, higher erythrocyte very-long-chain (VLC) PUFAs [20:3n–3, docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (ARA), and 22:4n–6], but lower α-linolenic acid (ALA) and γ-linolenic acid (GLA), tended to be associated with lower incidences of MetS and its components; among individual MetS components, the associations of PUFAs were more pronounced for hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) and hypertension, followed by low high-density lipoproten (HDL) cholesterol. Significantly higher concentrations of n–3 PUFAs (total, DPA, and DHA) and n–6 PUFAs (total, ARA, and 22:4) were observed in participants with improved (versus progressed) status of MetS (all P s trend ≤0.003). Conclusion: This study reveals that higher erythrocyte VLC n–3 and n–6 PUFAs, but lower 18-carbon PUFAs (ALA and GLA), are associated with lower risks of MetS components (HTG, hypertension, and low HDL cholesterol) and thereby lower MetS incidence in Chinese adults.