title: Changes in plasma fatty acid composition are associated with improvements in obesity and related metabolic disorders: A therapeutic approach to overweight adolescents.
abstract: In recent years, obesity has reached alarming levels among children and adolescents. The study of plasma fatty acid (FA) composition, as a reflection of diet, and its associations with other parameters, that are closely linked to obesity and the cardiometabolic profile, may be useful for setting nutritional goals for obesity treatment and prevention. This study explored the relationship between plasma FA levels and body fat and cardiometabolic risk markers, in overweight adolescents.
  
  
  
  A multidisciplinary weight loss program was followed by 127 overweight and obese adolescents aged 12-17 years old. Plasma FA composition, anthropometric indicators of adiposity and biochemical parameters were analyzed at baseline, two months (the end of the intensive intervention phase) and six months (the end of the extensive phase).
  
  
  
  While saturated fatty acid (SFA) and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels decreased significantly during the intervention, monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and n-3 PUFA showed the opposite trend. The decrease in SFA C14:0 was associated with a reduction in total and LDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein B and insulin. The increase in MUFAs, especially C18:1n-9, was related to a reduction in weight, fat mass, fat mass index and glucose. Regarding PUFAs, changes in the n-3 series were not associated with any of the parameters studied, whereas the reduction in n-6 PUFAs was directly related to weight, fat mass, total and HDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein A1, glucose and insulin, and inversely associated with diastolic blood pressure. The adolescents with greater weight loss presented significant changes in MUFAs, n-6 PUFAs and C14:0.
  
  
  
  Modifications in plasma FA composition were associated with adiposity reduction and cardiometabolic profile improvement in an anti-obesity program aimed at adolescents. The changes observed in FA composition were related to the success of the treatment, since the individuals most affected by these variations were those who presented the greatest weight loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guerendiain
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN), Institute of Health Carlos III, Spain.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Montes
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (Ibs Granada), Department of Paediatrics, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: López-Belmonte
authors.affiliation: EURISTIKOS Excellence Centre for Paediatric Research, Granada, Spain; Department of Physical Education and Sport, School of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martín-Matillas
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN), Institute of Health Carlos III, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Castellote
authors.affiliation: EURISTIKOS Excellence Centre for Paediatric Research, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martín-Bautista
authors.affiliation: CIBER Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN), Institute of Health Carlos III, Spain; Department of Nutrition, Food Science, Physiology and Toxicology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Amelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martí
authors.affiliation: CIBER Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN), Institute of Health Carlos III, Spain; Department of Nutrition, Food Science, Physiology and Toxicology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: J Alfredo
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Radiology and Physical Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Radiology and Physical Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Jesús Mª
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Garagorri
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition (ICTAN), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wärnberg
authors.affiliation: Biochemical Service, Hospital Reina Sofía, Córdoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Caballero
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition (ICTAN), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Ascensión
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marcos
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN), Institute of Health Carlos III, Spain. Electronic address: mclopez@ub.edu.
authors.forename: M Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: López-Sabater
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (Ibs Granada), Department of Paediatrics, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; EURISTIKOS Excellence Centre for Paediatric Research, Granada, Spain; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campoy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology; D061217:Weight Reduction Programs
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids
keywords: Adiposity; Cardiometabolic profile; Obese adolescents; Plasma fatty acids; Weight loss