Plasma long-chain fatty acids and the degree of obesity in Italian children

Aim: To examine whether the plasma levels of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) are associated with the degree of obesity in children. Methods: Sixty-seven normolipidaemic obese children, aged 8–12 y, and 67 age- and sex-matched normal-weight children were included in the study. Obesity was defined in accordance with the International Obesity Task Force. BMI z-scores were calculated. Fasting blood samples were analysed for insulin, glucose, lipid profile and fatty acid (FA) levels (expressed as % total FA). Insulin resistance was estimated by homeostatic model assessment (HOMA). Results: Compared with normal-weight children, obese children exhibited lower mean plasma total PUFA (37.8% vs 39.7%), ω-6 PUFAs (35.0% vs 36.8%) and C_{22:6 ω-3}-to-C_{18:3 ω-3} ratio (5.52 vs 7.61), and higher total monounsaturated FA (26.6% vs 25.0%), C_{18:3 ω-3} (0.28% vs 0.25%) and C_{20:5 ω-3} (0.45% vs 0.39%). In obese children, the BMI z-score was negatively related to plasma PUFA, ω-3 PUFAs, C_{22:6 ω-3}, and the C_{22:6 ω-3}-to-C_{20:6 ω-6} and C_{22:6 ω-3}-to-C_{18:3 ω-3} ratios, and positively with total saturated FA and C_{20:3 ω-9}.

Conclusion: In obese children, plasma LC-PUFA profile may be associated with the degree of obesity.