Atherosclerosis precursors in Finnish children and adolescents. V. Fatty acid composition of serum cholesteryl esters: regional differences in Finland.

Fatty acid compositions of serum cholesteryl esters (CE) were analysed with gas chromatography from a total of 1,348 Finnish children. The study was a part of a comprehensive survey of atherosclerosis precursors among children, and included 3-, 6-, 9-, 12-, 15-, and 18-year-old children and adolescents from five urban and twelve rural communities in Finland. In all age groups and both sexes, the mean percentages of linoleate (CE-18:2) were lower and those of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids higher in eastern rural areas than elsewhere. Eastern rural children also had significantly higher proportions of omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in their serum CE's. The percentage of serum CE-18:2 parallels the P/S values obtained by a dietary survey from the same populations. The reason for higher percentages of the omega 3 fatty acids in rural communities cannot be explained by diet, and remains unclear.