Relationship of diet to the fatty acid composition of human adipose tissue structural and stored lipids.

The habitual intake of 20 healthy free-living subjects was determined by two 7-day food records. Documented fatty acid intakes were utilized to examine the influence of fatty acid intake on fatty acid composition of stored and structural lipids in subcutaneous adipose tissue. Subjects with higher intakes of saturated fatty acids exhibited increased levels of total saturated fatty acids and decreased polyunsaturated fatty acids in adipose tissue triglycerides (p less than 0.01). The dietary P/S ratio was significantly related to the saturated and polyunsaturated content of stored lipids. In the phospholipid fraction, relationships were found between dietary C18:2(6) and the P/S ratio of phosphatidylcholine (p less than 0.05). The essential fatty acid content of the two phospholipids studied was related to the dietary fats consumed. Relationships were identified between major fatty acids in the triglyceride and phospholipid fraction. Although diet was found to relate to fatty acid composition, the structural lipids in human adipose tissue appear more resistant to compositional change than stored triglycerides.