title: Visceral fat thickness in overweight men correlates with alterations in serum fatty acid composition.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We examined relationships between visceral fat amount and alterations in serum fatty acid composition, both of which represent critical factors in the development of metabolic syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Correlations were analyzed between visceral fat thickness as measured by ultrasonography and proportions of individual fatty acids in 21 normal-weight and 24 overweight Japanese men.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant associations were identified in overweight subjects. Visceral fat thickness displayed positive correlations to levels of palmitic acid and saturated fatty acids (r=0.475, P<0.05 and r=0.545, P<0.01, respectively); and negative correlations to levels of linoleic acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids (r=-0.513, P<0.05 and r=-0.428, P<0.05, respectively). Visceral fat thickness was also correlated with estimated desaturase activities, with positive correlations to Delta9- and Delta6-desaturase activities and negative correlations to Delta5-desaturase activity (r=0.580, P<0.01, r=0.669, P<0.01 and r=-0.559, P<0.01, respectively). No significant associations were identified in normal-weight subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant associations between visceral fat amount and alterations in serum fatty acid composition were identified, but only in overweight individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo 181-8611, Japan. kishino@kyorin-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tomonori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kishino
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Urata
authors.forename: Maiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: Takamoto
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uemura
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: Yoshitake
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mine
authors.forename: Motoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Kouki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohtsuka
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohnishi
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Shin'ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood; D005410:Flame Ionization; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism; D007564:Japan; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000097:blood; D050602:Linoleoyl-CoA Desaturase / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019308:Palmitic Acid / Q000097:blood; D012907:Smoking / Q000378:metabolism; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D019308:Palmitic Acid; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D050602:Linoleoyl-CoA Desaturase