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Table 3 GC-MS analysis of fatty acids in the subjects according to tertiles of visceral fat area (VFA) at L4

From: Association between increased visceral fat area and alterations in plasma fatty acid profile in overweight subjects: a cross-sectional study

Relative peak area

Lower tertile (T1, n = 77)

Middle tertile (T2, n = 78)

Upper tertile (T3, n = 77)

p a

p b

p c

VFA at L4 < 71.8 cm2

71.8 cm2 ≤ VFA at L4 ≤ 99.6 cm2

VFA at L4 > 99.6 cm2

Saturated fatty acids

6.200 ± 0.111b

6.350 ± 0.169b

7.086 ± 0.139a

<0.001

0.002

0.002

Lauric acid (C12:0)

0.023 ± 0.001

0.028 ± 0.002

0.031 ± 0.002

0.002

0.072

0.059

Myristic acid (C14:0)

0.200 ± 0.009b

0.230 ± 0.014b

0.289 ± 0.015a

<0.001

0.001

0.001

Pentadecylic acid (C15:0)

0.037 ± 0.001

0.041 ± 0.002

0.044 ± 0.001

0.003

0.147

0.149

Palmitic acid (C16:0)

4.074 ± 0.081b

4.128 ± 0.104b

4.613 ± 0.096a

<0.001

0.002

0.002

Stearic acid (C18:0)

1.739 ± 0.028b

1.799 ± 0.052b

1.969 ± 0.037a

<0.001

0.018

0.022

Arachidic acid (C20:0)

0.038 ± 0.001

0.038 ± 0.001

0.041 ± 0.001

0.060

0.194

0.262

Behenic acid (C22:0)

0.090 ± 0.003

0.087 ± 0.003

0.098 ± 0.003

0.017

0.049

0.091

Monounsaturated fatty acid

1.198 ± 0.029b

1.267 ± 0.047b

1.429 ± 0.036a

<0.001

0.003

0.003

Palmitoleic acid (C16:1, n-7)

0.139 ± 0.007b

0.149 ± 0.007b

0.183 ± 0.008a

<0.001

0.002

0.003

Cis-10-heptadecenoic acid (C17:1, n-7)

0.011 ± 0.000b

0.012 ± 0.001a,b

0.014 ± 0.000a

<0.001

0.022

0.025

Oleic acid (C18:1, n-9)

0.984 ± 0.022b

1.043 ± 0.038b

1.162 ± 0.029a

<0.001

0.004

0.004

Eicosenoic acid (C20:1, n-9)

0.009 ± 0.000

0.011 ± 0.001

0.011 ± 0.000

0.180

0.556

0.586

Erucic acid (C22:1, n-9)

0.009 ± 0.001

0.009 ± 0.001

0.009 ± 0.001

0.832

0.840

0.824

Nervonic acid (C24:1, n-9)

0.046 ± 0.001

0.044 ± 0.001

0.049 ± 0.002

0.099

0.197

0.297

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6)

2.685 ± 0.052b

2.691 ± 0.059b

2.973 ± 0.049a

<0.001

0.004

0.003

Linoleic acid (C18:2, n-6)

1.980 ± 0.039b

2.001 ± 0.048b

2.205 ± 0.038a

<0.001

0.005

0.004

γ-linolenic acid (C18:3, n-6)

0.029 ± 0.002

0.030 ± 0.002

0.035 ± 0.002

0.104

0.438

0.343

Eicosadienoic acid (C20:2, n-6)

0.018 ± 0.001

0.021 ± 0.001

0.022 ± 0.001

0.017

0.251

0.212

Dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (C20:3, n-6)

0.095 ± 0.003b

0.101 ± 0.004b

0.118 ± 0.004a

<0.001

0.007

0.012

Arachidonic acid (C20:4, n-6)

0.532 ± 0.013b

0.510 ± 0.012b

0.558 ± 0.013a

0.030

0.040

0.038

Docosatetraenoic acid (C22:4, n-6)

0.030 ± 0.001

0.029 ± 0.001

0.034 ± 0.001

0.006

0.028

0.061

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3)

0.357 ± 0.016b

0.415 ± 0.020b

0.499 ± 0.021a

<0.001

0.039

0.047

α-linolenic acid (C18:3, n-3)

0.079 ± 0.004

0.100 ± 0.009

0.113 ± 0.006

0.002

0.293

0.270

Eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5, n-3)

0.080 ± 0.005

0.092 ± 0.006

0.113 ± 0.006

<0.001

0.393

0.494

Docosapentaenoic acid (C22:5, n-3)

0.036 ± 0.001b

0.040 ± 0.002b

0.049 ± 0.002a

<0.001

0.013

0.011

Docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6, n-3)

0.162 ± 0.009

0.183 ± 0.011

0.225 ± 0.014

0.001

0.094

0.113

Ratio n-6/n-3

8.434 ± 0.321

7.350 ± 0.284

6.587 ± 0.244

<0.001

0.149

0.191

C16 Δ9-desaturasea

0.033 ± 0.001b

0.035 ± 0.001a,b

0.039 ± 0.001a

0.002

0.021

0.029

C18 Δ9-desaturaseb

0.565 ± 0.008b

0.577 ± 0.008a,b

0.589 ± 0.008a

0.102

0.047

0.036

Δ6-desaturasec

0.015 ± 0.001

0.015 ± 0.001

0.016 ± 0.001

0.579

0.815

0.813

Δ5-desaturased

6.008 ± 0.217a

5.368 ± 0.163a,b

4.945 ± 0.143b

<0.001

0.025

0.036

Elongasee

0.432 ± 0.006

0.437 ± 0.006

0.430 ± 0.006

0.652

0.446

0.463

  1. Mean ± SE. p a-values derived from a One-way ANOVA. p b-values were adjusted for age, sex, smoking, and drinking. p c-values were adjusted for age, sex, smoking, drinking, and BMI. All p < 0.05 marked with letters were derived from Bonferroni post hoc test at p c-values; no significant differences are marked with the same letter, and significant differences are marked with different letters. aC16 Δ9-desaturase = Palmitoleic acid/Palmitic acid. bC18 Δ9-desaturase = Oleic acid/Stearic acid. cΔ6-desaturase = γ-Linolenic acid/Linoleic acid. dΔ5-desaturase = Arachidonic acid/dihomo-γ-linolenic acid. eElongase activity = Stearic acid/Palmitic acid