Polyunsaturated fatty acids in adipose tissue in European men aged 38 years in relation to serum lipids, smoking habits, and fat distribution

Fat biopsies were taken from 327 men aged 38 years from five different European communities in 1988-1989. Linoleic acid content varied widely (F = 110.6, p less than 0.001) and was lowest in men from Poland (8.6%) and highest in men from Belgium (16.7%). Adipose tissue content of alpha-linolenic acid was subject to less variation (F = 13.9, p less than 0.001) and was lowest in men from Italy (0.5%) and highest in men from Sweden and the Netherlands (0.9%). In analysis combining information from all centers, linoleic acid was negatively correlated to low density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = -0.15, p less than 0.01) and total cholesterol (r = -0.17, p less than 0.01). alpha-Linolenic acid was negatively correlated to serum triglycerides only (r = -0.14, p less than 0.05). These fatty acids were not related to body mass index, waist/hip ratio, or smoking habits. The authors conclude that there are major differences in the fatty acid composition of adipose tissue in different European populations but that these do not explain the significant differences in serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol and serum triglycerides among the different populations.