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Characteristics of obese children with low content of arachidonic acid in plasma lipids
Author(s) -
OKADA TOMOO,
SATO NORIKO F,
KUROMORI YUKI,
MIYASHITA MICHIO,
TANIGUTCHI KAZUO,
IWATA FUJIHIKO,
HARA MITSUHIKO,
AYUSAWA MAMORU,
HARADA KENSUKE,
SAITO EMIKO
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
pediatrics international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.49
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1442-200X
pISSN - 1328-8067
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-200x.2007.02394.x
Subject(s) - medicine , polyunsaturated fatty acid , arachidonic acid , endocrinology , linoleic acid , leptin , obesity , fatty acid , insulin resistance , insulin , anthropometry , biochemistry , chemistry , enzyme
Background: Although there have been many studies on the relationship between obesity and long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA), the results and their interpretation are controversial, especially in children. Arachidonic acid (AA), the product of n‐6 LCPUFA, is reported to be related to insulin resistance. The purpose of the present paper was to investigate the LCPUFA profile in obese children and mechanisms that contribute to reduced AA content. Method: An age‐ and sex‐matched control study was performed. The study subjects were 59 obese children (mean age, 11.8 years) and 53 healthy non‐obese children (mean age, 12.5 years). The study parameters included anthropometric measurements, serum lipids, leptin and fatty acid composition in plasma. Results: Plasma fatty acids in obese children had lower linoleic acid ( P < 0.0001) and higher dihomo‐γ‐linolenic acid ( P = 0.0004) than those in non‐obese children. In all subjects combined, δ‐6 desaturase (D6D) index (ratios of [C 18:3n‐6+C 20:2n‐6]/C 20:4n‐6 or C 20:4n‐6/C 18: 2n‐6) correlated with leptin ( P < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in AA content between obese and non‐obese. However, the AA content was low (