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%), omega-6 PUFAs (35.0% vs 36.8%) and C22:6omega-3-to-C18:3omega-3 ratio (5.52 vs 7.61), and higher total monounsaturated FA (26.6% vs 25.0%), C18:3omega-3 (0.28% vs 0.25%) and C20:5omega-3 (0.45% vs 0.39%). In obese children, the BMI z-score was negatively related to plasma PUFA, omega-3 PUFAs, C22:6omega-3, and the C22:6omega-3-to-C20:6omega-6 and C22:6omega-3-to-C18:3omega-3 ratios, and positively with total saturated FA and C20:3omega-9.
Conclusion: In obese children, plasma LC-PUFA profile may be associated with the degree of obesity.