Fatty acids in serum lipid fractions as indicators of fat intake in 5-year-old children in the STRIP project

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to investigate the association between dietary fat composition and the proportion of fatty acids in serum lipid fractions as biomarkers of previous dietary fat quality in 5-year-old children. Using 4-consecutive-day food records, the food consumption of half (n=50) of a group of randomly selected children who are participating in a prospective randomized coronary risk factor intervention project (STRIP; n=1062 at recruitment at 7 months of age) was estimated immediately prior to a blood sampling for analysis of fatty acids in serum lipid fractions, whereas in the other half of the group (n=52), food consumption was measured 5 to 15 days before the sampling. Nutrient intakes were analyzed using the Micro-Nutrica program. The fatty acid composition of serum triglycerides (TG), cholesterol esters (CE) and phospholipids (PL) was analyzed using gas chromatography. When intake was recorded immediately prior to measurement of serum fatty acids, SAFA intake was significantly correlated to TG-SAFA, but did not correlate with CE-SAFA or PLSAFA. PUFA intake was significantly correlated to serum TG-PUFA and CE-PUFA. When intake had been recorded 5 to 15 days prior to measurement of serum fatty acids, SAFA intake was significantly correlated to TG-SAFA. Significant correlation was also obtained between dietary and serum PUFA in serum TG fraction. The correlations between MUFA intake and serum MUFA concentrations were always poor irrespective of when intake had been recorded. In conclusion, serum TG-SAFAs reflect short-term SAFA intake and serum TG-PUFAS reflect short-term PUFA intake in 5-year-old children.