Search resultsRelationship between plasma fatty acid composition and diet over previous years in the Italian centers of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)
Title
Relationship between plasma fatty acid composition and diet over previous years in the Italian centers of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2003
Authors
Journal
Tumori
Volume
89
Issue
6
Pagination
624 - 635
Date published
2003
ISBN
03008916 (ISSN)
Keywords
Adult, Aged, article, biological marker, Biomarker, cancer, Chromatography, Gas, cohort analysis, Cohort Studies, Dietary Carbohydrates, Dietary Fats, dietary intake, Dietary Proteins, Eating, Energy Intake, fat intake, fatty acid blood level, Fatty Acids, Fatty Acids, Unsaturated, Female, food, Food Habits, food intake, gas chromatography, human, Humans, Italy, lifestyle, Linoleic Acid, lipid composition, major clinical study, male, Middle Aged, Neoplasms, nutrition, omega 3 fatty acid, oxidation reduction reaction, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, Plasma fatty acid, polyunsaturated fatty acid, Prospective Studies, prospective study, quantitative analysis, Questionnaires
Abstract
Fatty acid levels in plasma phospholipids were related to food intake over the previous year as estimated by semiquantitative food frequency questionnaires compiled by 280 men and 246 women from the EPIC centers of Varese, Turin, Florence and Ragusa (Italy). Fatty acid content was determined by gas chromatography and analyzed in relation to age, sex and center. The most important finding was that plasma monounsaturated fatty acid levels, mainly oleic acid, were associated with olive oil consumption (r = 0.28 men, r = 0.19 women, both P <0.01). To our knowledge, this is the first time that these nonessential plasma fatty acids have been related to their dietary source in a population eating a varied and freely chosen diet. We confirmed that long-chain n-3 fatty acids in plasma phospholipids are associated with fish consumption and that odd chain 15: 0 and 17: 0 fatty acid levels are associated with dairy products and pizza-with-mozzarella consumption. N-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid levels reflected dietary intake of seed oils, mayonnaise and biscuits. Alcohol intake was positively associated with palmitic and palmitoleic acid and negatively associated with linoleic acid. These associations suggest indirect relations between alcohol consumption and other features of diet, and also that ethanol has an effect on fat metabolism. We found numerous indirect relationships (ie, not due to dietary consumption of food sources of the fatty acids) between plasma fatty acids and diet, which we propose as due to the influence of complex life-style factors.