Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the content of specific fatty acids in the diet and adipose tissue in a selected group of inhabitants of Lower Silesia in Poland.
Methods: The study group consisted of 95 inhabitants of Wroclaw and surrounding villages (22 men and 23 women from the urban area, 23 men and 27 women from the rural area). Fatty acid content in subcutaneous fat samples was assessed by gas-chromatography. Dietary assessment was carried out using food frequency questionnaire. Dietary intake was analyzed using computer programme The Food Processor SQL 10.5.2 produced by ESHA Research USA, with a Polish database.
Results: Mean daily energy and fatty acids intake was significantly higher among rural than urban inhabitants. Intake of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), mainly from rapeseed oil, in urban inhabitants was 1.5 g/day in men and 1.6 g/day in women, and in rural inhabitants 2.6 g/day and 2.1 g/day, respectively. Dietary n-6 to n-3 ratio was higher among urban compared to rural inhabitants (6.7 vs. 5.5 among men and 6.4 vs. 5.5 among women, respectively). Content of ALA in adipose tissue was higher in rural women than in urban men (1.08% vs. 0.92% of total fat). Content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in adipose tissue in rural men (0.04% of total fat) and women (0.05% of total fat) was higher than in urban men (0.01% of total fat). The positive correlation (r=0.43) between the level of EPA in adipose tissue and percentage of energy from dietary EPA was observed among rural men. Overall, positive correlations were found between saturated (SFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA) n-3 level in adipose tissue and percentage of energy from these fatty acids in a diet (r=0.20 and r=0.22, respectively).
Conclusions: Mean daily n-3 fatty acid intake in urban inhabitants was lower than the recommended daily consumption in Poland. The positive correlation between fatty acids level in adipose tissue and dietary fatty acid intake was observed only for EPA among rural men, and in the all-study population for SFA and PUFA n-3. A high n-6 to n-3 ratio in the study group was observed.
