Original Article

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2008) 62, 1287–1293; doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602857; published online 15 August 2007

Nutritional intervention to reduce the n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio increases adiponectin concentration and fatty acid oxidation in healthy subjects

Contributors: FG-E: Data collection/interpretation and manuscript. RR-L: Data collection/interpretation and manuscript. FB: Manuscript. J-PB: Data collection and manuscript revision. MD: Data collection and manuscript revision. MRS: Manuscript revision. HV: Study design and manuscript revision. ML: Study design and supervision, and manuscript revision.

F Guebre-Egziabher1,4, R Rabasa-Lhoret1,5,4, F Bonnet1, J-P Bastard2,3, M Desage1, M R Skilton1, H Vidal1 and M Laville1

  1. 1Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine (CRNH) Rhône-Alpes, Univ de Lyon, F-69008; INSERM U 870, F-69008; INRA 1235, F-69008; Univ Lyon 1, F-69003, INSA Lyon RMND F-69621, Hospices Civils de Lyon, F-69003, France
  2. 2Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Tenon, Service de Biochimie et Hormonologie, Paris, France
  3. 3INSERM U-680, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France

Correspondence: Professor M Laville, Hopital Edouard Herriot, 3 place d'Arsonval, 69437 Lyon, France. E-mail: Martine.laville@chu-lyon.fr

4These two authors contributed equally to this work.

5Present address: Laboratoire des dysfonctions métaboliques, Département de nutrition, Université de Montréal, and the Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM)-Hôtel-Dieu, Montréal, Québec, Canada.

Received 23 January 2007; Revised 13 June 2007; Accepted 20 June 2007; Published online 15 August 2007.

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Abstract

Background/Objectives:

 

Consumption of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) has a favourable impact on inflammation and cardiovascular disease. However, the Western diet is characterized by a low n-3 PUFA intake and an imbalance in the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio. Study the effect 10-week of diet modification to decrease the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio on cardiovascular risk factors and resting energy expenditure.

Subjects and methods:

 

Ten-week dietary intervention in 17 healthy subjects. Dietary intake, euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp, indirect calorimetry, lipid profile, hormones, inflammatory markers and erythrocyte membrane fatty acid composition were recorded before and at the end of the intervention. Comparisons are between baseline and post-treatment levels.

Results:

 

Dietary records of the linoleic acid/alpha-linolenic acid ratio (baseline: 32.2 (s.d. 3.7) vs post-intervention: 2.2 (s.d. 0.1), P<0.0001) and erythrocyte membrane fatty acid composition reflected good compliance. Dietary intervention was associated with significant reductions in TNF-alpha (baseline: 2.2 (s.d. 0.3), post-intervention: 1.5 (s.d. 0.3) pg/ml, P=0.01) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (baseline: 2.5 (s.d. 0.2), post-intervention: 2.3 (s.d. 0.1) mmol/l, P=0.03) and increased adiponectin (baseline: 6.5 (s.d. 0.7), post-intervention: 7.6 (s.d. 0.6) mug/ml, P=0.02). Fasting lipid oxidation was increased (baseline: 0.7 (s.d. 0.1), post-intervention: 0.9 (s.d. 0.1) mg/kg.min, P=0.01), whereas glucose oxidation decreased in both fasting (baseline: 1.6 (s.d. 0.1), post-intervention: 1.3 (s.d. 0.1) mg/kg.min, P=0.02) and hyperinsulinaemic conditions (baseline: 3.6 (s.d. 0.1), post-intervention: 3.3 (s.d. 0.1) mg/kg.min, P=0.04). Insulin sensitivity was not affected by the intervention.

Conclusion:

 

A decreased n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio can be achieved with simple dietary counselling, resulting in multiple, potentially favourable effects on the metabolic and inflammatory profiles.

Keywords:

n-3 PUFA, dietary intervention, fatty acid oxidation, adiponectin, TNF-alpha

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