title: Atherosclerosis precursors in Finnish children and adolescents. V. Fatty acid composition of serum cholesteryl esters: regional differences in Finland.
abstract: Fatty acid compositions of serum cholesteryl esters (CE) were analysed with gas chromatography from a total of 1,348 Finnish children. The study was a part of a comprehensive survey of atherosclerosis precursors among children, and included 3-, 6-, 9-, 12-, 15-, and 18-year-old children and adolescents from five urban and twelve rural communities in Finland. In all age groups and both sexes, the mean percentages of linoleate (CE-18:2) were lower and those of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids higher in eastern rural areas than elsewhere. Eastern rural children also had significantly higher proportions of omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in their serum CE's. The percentage of serum CE-18:2 parallels the P/S values obtained by a dietary survey from the same populations. The reason for higher percentages of the omega 3 fatty acids in rural communities cannot be explained by diet, and remains unclear.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002788:Cholesterol Esters / Q000097:blood*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D008041:Linoleic Acids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D012306:Risk; D012424:Rural Population; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D002788:Cholesterol Esters; D005227:Fatty Acids; D008041:Linoleic Acids; D019787:Linoleic Acid