Adipose tissue fatty acids in Scottish men and women: results from the Scottish Heart Health Study.

The fatty acid composition of adipose tissue from 4114 men and women across 22 districts of Scotland is described. A biopsy of subcutaneous adipose tissue was obtained from the upper arm using a skin biopsy punch. Overall the proportion of saturated fatty acids was lower in women and those of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated higher than in men. There were significant effects of age on adipose tissue fatty acid composition, particularly in women, where the proportion of saturated fatty acids decreased and that of monounsaturated fatty acids increased with advancing age. The fatty acid composition of adipose tissue varied among the districts studied. The district standardised mortality ratio for coronary heart disease was positively correlated with the district mean oleic acid value and inversely correlated with the district mean linoleic acid value. This paper supports the importance of adipose tissue fatty acids as indicators of risk factor status for coronary heart disease.