OMEGA-3-FATTY-ACIDS IN ADIPOSE-TISSUE OF OBESE PATIENTS WITH NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS REFLECT LONG-TERM DIETARY-INTAKE OF EICOSAPENTAENOIC AND DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID

We examined the relationship between longterm dietary intake of eicosa pentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and the relative content of these fatty acids in adipose tissue triglycerides from 53 o bese Dutch subjects-19 men and 34 women-with non-insulin-dependent dia betes mellitus (NIDDM). Adipose tissue fatty acid profiles analyzed in three samples taken from each subject at 1-y intervals showed no with in-subject differences for EPA and DHA. Dietary intake was estimated f rom 12 3-d dietary records made over 2 y at 2-mo intervals. EPA and DH A intakes showed high within-subject variation. Correlation coefficien ts (Spearman) between the dietary intake of EPA (% of total fat) and E PA in adipose tissue (% of total fatty acids) were 0.76 for men and 0. 57 for women. For DHA these coefficients were 0.75 for men and 0.48 fo r women. We conclude that the analysis of fatty acids in one adipose t issue biopsy provides information on long-term EPA and DHA intakes in obese subjects with NIDDM, and can replace otherwise necessarily frequ ent diet analyses over a long period.