title: Reference values of whole-blood fatty acids by age and sex from European children aged 3-8 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish reference values for fatty acids (FA) especially for n-3 and n-6 long-chain polyunsaturated FAs (LC PUFA) in whole-blood samples from apparently healthy 3-8-year-old European children. The whole-blood FA composition was analysed and the age- and sex-specific distribution of FA was determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples for FA analysis were taken from 2661 children of the IDEFICS (identification and prevention of dietary- and lifestyle-induced health effects in children and infants) study cohort. Children with obesity (n=454) and other diseases that are known to alter the FA composition (n=450) were excluded leaving 1653 participants in the reference population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The FA composition of whole blood was analysed from blood drops by a rapid, validated gas chromatographic method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pearson correlation coefficients showed an age-dependent increase of C18:2n-6 and a decrease of C18:1n-9 in a subsample of normal weight boys and girls. Other significant correlations with age were weak and only seen either in boys or in girls, whereas most of the FA did not show any age dependence. For age-dependent n-3 and n-6 PUFA as well as for other FA that are correlated with age (16:0, C18:0 and C18:1n-9) percentiles analysed with the general additive model for location scale and shape are presented. A higher median in boys than in girls was observed for C20:3n-6, C20:4n-6 and C22:4n-6.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the reported associations between FA status and health-related outcome, the provision of FA reference ranges may be useful for the interpretation of the FA status of children in epidemiological and clinical studies.
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology-BIPS, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolters
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology-BIPS, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schlenz
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology-BIPS, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Foraita
authors.affiliation: DiSFeB, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.affiliation: DiSFeB, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Risé
authors.affiliation: Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development (GENUD) Research Group, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Health Promotion, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Molnár
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Population Genetics, Institute of Food Sciences, National Research Council, Avellino, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Department of Chronic Diseases, National Institute for Health Development, Tallinn, Estonia.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Veidebaum
authors.affiliation: Research and Education Institute of Child Health, Strovolos, Cyprus.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tornaritis
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vyncke
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eiben
authors.affiliation: 1] Laboratory of Molecular and Nutritional Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy [2] Laboratory of Cardiovascular and Neurovascular Epidemiology, Casa di Cura Montevergine, Mercogliano, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Iacoviello
authors.affiliation: 1] Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology-BIPS, Bremen, Germany [2] Institute of Statistics, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ahrens
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D008055:Lipids