Desaturase Activity Is Associated With Weight Status and Metabolic Risk Markers in Young Children.

Context: Activity of delta-9, delta-6 and delta-5 desaturases (D9D, D6D, D5D) are associated with obesity, insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. Objective: To investigate the association of estimated desaturase activities with weight status, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia in children, cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Design: IDEFICS (Identification and prevention of dietary- and lifestyle-induced health effects in children and infants) cohort study, with examinations at baseline (T0) and after two years (T1). Setting and participants: Children aged 2 to 10 years from eight European countries were recruited in kindergartens/primary schools. Children with available data on fatty acids (FA), outcome and covariate information were included in the analyses. Methods: Whole blood FA were analyzed in 2600 children at baseline. D9D (16:1n-7/16:0), D6D (20:3n-6/18:2n-6) and D5D (20:4n-6/20:3n-6) activities were estimated from product-precursor FA ratios. Body mass index (BMI), Homeostatic Model Assessment index (HOMA), and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and triglycerides (TG) served as outcomes for weight status, insulin resistance and dyslipidemia, respectively. Linear and logistic regression and repeated measures models were used to assess the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between desaturase activity and outcomes. Results: In the cross-sectional analysis, D9D and D6D were positively associated with BMI and TG z-scores and inversely with HDL z-scores. D5D was inversely associated with BMI and TG z-scores, i.e. a D5D increase of 1 unit is associated with a BMI z-score decrease of 0.07 and a 28% lower odds ratio for TG 75th percentile. Longitudinally, similar associations were found for T0 desaturase activities with BMI and for T0 D6D with HDLat follow-up (T1). Baseline D6D and D5D were positively associated with the change of HDL z-score from T0 to T1, and D6D with the change of HOMA z-score. Conclusion: Desaturase activities are associated with metabolic risk markers already in young children and appear to predict the metabolic risk.