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Evaluation of the odd fatty acids 15:0 and 17:0 in serum and adipose tissue as markers of intake of milk and dairy fat

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 59, pages 1417–1422 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Background:

There is a need for biomarkers of dietary saturated fatty acids, because several diseases have been related to intake of these fatty acids.

Objective:

To examine the relation between intake of dairy fat and the proportion of pentadecanoic (15:0) and heptadecanoic (17:0) acid in serum and adipose tissue.

Design:

Healthy men aged 21–55 y provided serum (n=110) and adipose tissue samples (n=107) and completed both 14 days weighed records (WR) and a 180-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The proportions of 15:0 and 17:0 acid in serum and adipose tissue as measured by gas liquid chromatography were evaluated as biomarkers for fat intake from dairy products using Pearsons correlation coefficient and the method of triads.

Results:

The strongest correlation coefficients were observed between total intake of dairy fat estimated from WR and relative content of 15:0 in adipose tissue (0.52, 95% CI: 0.37, 0.65) and total serum (0.43, 95% CI 0.26, 0.57). A consistent inverse association was observed between the intake of milk fat and relative serum content of 17:0. The validity coefficients observed for the intake of dairy fat estimated from weighed records, the 180-item FFQ and by the relative content of 15:0 in serum and adipose tissue were 0.94 (95% CI: 0.68, 1.00), 0.50 (95% CI: 0.29, 0.67), 0.49 (95% CI: 0.32, 0.67) and 0.56 (95% CI: 0.28, 0.82), respectively.

Conclusion:

Relative content of 15:0 in serum and adipose tissue may be a useful biomarker for the intake of total dairy fat, whereas FFQs and WRs may provide better estimates of the intake of fat from milk.

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Acknowledgements

We are indebted to Birgit Roaas and the rest of the medical staff at Oerland Flight station. We thank Anne Randi Alvestad, Eva Grabner, Kari Solvoll and Thomas Gundersen from The Department of Nutrition Research, and Torill Rode from Institute of Aviation Medicine for expert technical assistance. The project was funded in part by the Norwegian Research Council, the National Council on Nutrition and Physical Activity and the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway

    A Brevik, M B Veierød, C A Drevon & L F Andersen

  2. Department of Statistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway

    M B Veierød

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  1. A Brevik
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  2. M B Veierød
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  3. C A Drevon
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  4. L F Andersen
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Correspondence to A Brevik.

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Guarantor: LF Andersen.

Contributors: AB did the data analysis and the writing. MBV calculated the confidence intervals. LFA and CAD took part in the planning, provided consultation on the interpretation of the results and commented on the final version of the manuscript.

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Brevik, A., Veierød, M., Drevon, C. et al. Evaluation of the odd fatty acids 15:0 and 17:0 in serum and adipose tissue as markers of intake of milk and dairy fat. Eur J Clin Nutr 59, 1417–1422 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602256

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