Effects of Erythrocyte Membrane Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Overweight, Obese, and Morbidly Obese Korean Women

BACKGROUND The levels of erythrocyte polyunsaturated fatty acids (FAs) may be associated with obesity, metabolic syndrome, and cancer. Thus, we investigated the association between erythrocyte n-3 and n-6 FA composition, body mass index (BMI), and biochemical profiles. METHODS The body composition, dietary intake, and blood parameters, including serum lipid, glucose, insulin, adipokines, oxidative stress, and erythrocyte FA, were assessed in 66 overweight and obese women (average age, 43.4 years). We also classified the participants into the overweight, obese, and morbidly obese (MO) groups based on the BMI values of 23, 25, and 30 kg/m2, respectively. Erythrocyte FA was measured via gas chromatography. RESULTS The serum glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels of the participants in the overweight, obese, and MO groups were not significantly different. However, the serum insulin, high-density lipoprotein, cholesterol and leptin levels were significantly different. The erythrocyte n-6/n-3 ratios of the overweight, obese, and MO groups were 2.4, 2.5, and 2.8, respectively. These data were consistent with the dietary n-6/n-3 ratio findings. Moreover, the erythrocyte n-6/n-3 ratio was correlated with serum insulin levels. CONCLUSIONS As the severity of obesity increased, the levels of insulin and leptin and the ratio of dietary n-6/n-3 increased, which was consistent with erythrocyte FA. These results indicate that erythrocyte FA may be a predictive biomarker for the increased prevalence of obesity, insulin resistance, leptin resistance, and risk of developing metabolic disorders.