Circulating fatty acids as markers of arteriosclerosis in Sri Lanka and Japan

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25871168
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Eating habits; Epidemiology and preventive medicine
• Research Institution: National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition (2016); National Center for Global Health and Medicine (2013-2015)
• Principal Investigator: KUROTANI Kayo 国立研究開発法人医薬基盤・健康・栄養研究所, 国立健康・栄養研究所 栄養教育研究部, 室長 (50610739)
• Research Collaborator: MIZOUE Tetsuya 国立研究開発法人国立国際医療研究センター, 国際医療協力局, 科長 (60269074) ; SATO Masao 九州大学, 農学研究院, 教授 (90294909) ; NONAKA Daisuke 琉球大学, 医学部, 准教授 (00538275) ; NANRI Akiko 国立研究開発法人国立国際医療研究センター, 国際医療協力局, 室長 (80523646) ; KUWAHARA Keisuke 帝京大学, 大学院公衆衛生学研究科, 助教 (70635226)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 脂肪酸 / 動脈硬化 / CAVI / 日本 / スリランカ / 国際比較

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We compared the fatty acid composition between Sri Lankan and Japanese patients with diabetes, dyslipidemia, or hypertension. We found that the mean concentration of circulating myristic acid (14:0) was much higher in Sri Lankan patients than that in Japanese patients. This finding might reflect on the fact that coconut oil is rich in myristic acid (14:0). Additionally, we found that the concentrations of circulating linoleic acid (18:2 n-6), α-linolenic acid (18:3 n-3), and eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5 n-3) were higher in Japanese patients than those in Sri Lankan patients. The major sources of these fatty acids were vegetable oils and fish, which are consumed more in Japan than in Sri Lanka. We also examined the association of circulating fatty acid composition with arterial stiffness in each country. The odd-chain saturated fatty acids (15:0+17:0) might be inversely associated with arteriosclerosis in Sri Lanka.

Free Research Field

栄養疫学