Fatty acid intake and metabolic syndrome among overweight and obese women.

Objective: To examine relations between fatty acids intake and metabolic syndrome (MetS) status among overweight and obese women (n = 223).

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. The physical and laboratory tests included anthropometry, body composition evaluation and measurements of blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, insulinemia and lipid profiles. A three-day food diary was used to evaluate fatty acids consumption. Statistical analysis included χ2 test and odds ratio measurements.

Results: The women had 35.2 (6.9) years old and 15.2% presented MetS. Women with MetS presented higher serum levels of very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose and insulin in addition to higher diastolic blood pressure in comparison to women without MetS. Overweight women with MetS consumed higher amounts of monounsaturated fatty acids - 24.3 g (24.7 - 36.4) versus overweight women without MetS - 23.9 g (23.8 - 26.8), polyunsaturated fatty acids - 16.7 g (14.6 - 21.1) versus overweight women without MetS - 13.6 g (13.8 - 15.8) and linoleic fatty acids - 15.9 g (6.5) versus overweight women without MetS - 13.1 g (5.1). Among obese women with MetS, higher intake of linoleic fatty acids was also noted - 17.6 g (6.1) versus obese women without MetS - 14.3 g (6.6) in addition to higher consumption of trans fatty acids - 4.7 g (4.8 - 6.3) versus obese women without MetS - 3.9 g (2.9 - 4.6). Increased quartiles of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, linoleic and trans fatty acid intake were significantly associated with a greater occurrence of MetS.

Conclusion: Lipid intake may be related to MetS, although other factors also need to be considered, such as lifestyle, genetics and metabolism.