Table 2. Fatty acids in serum phospholipids (mol %).
| Fatty acids in serum phospholipids (mol %) |
Vegetarian group (n=37) |
Control group (n=37) |
P-value | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline | 12 Weeks | 24 Weeks | Baseline | 12 Weeks | 24 Weeks | ||
| Saturated fatty acids | 33.5 (30.9–35.9) | 32.6 (30.0–35.1) | 41.2 (38.9–43.4)*** | 32.6 (30.0–35.0) | 33.5 (31.0–35.9) | 36.2 (33.8–38.5) | 0.037 |
| Myristic acid (14:00) | 0.01 (0.006–0.02) | 0.01 (0.006–0.02) | 0.13 (0.08–0.225)*** | 0.01 (0.005–0.02) | 0.01 (0.004–0.02) | 0.04 (0.025–0.07)* | 0.110 |
| Palmitic acid (16:00) | 16.2 (13.4–18.9) | 15.3 (12.5–18.0) | 26.5 (23.7–29.3)*** | 15.6 (12.8–18.3) | 14.1 (11.4–16.8) | 20.5 (17.8–23.3)*** | 0.111 |
| Stearic acid (18:00) | 16.5 (15.9–17.1) | 16.3 (15.7–17.0) | 14.3 (13.8–14.8)*** | 16.4 (15.8–17.0) | 15.8 (15.2–16.5) | 15.1 (14.5–15.7) | 0.061 |
| Arachidic acid (20:00) | 0.16 (0.11–0.25) | 0.21 (0.14–0.33) | 0.13 (0.08–0.19) | 0.17 (0.11–0.26) | 0.21 (0.14–0.31) | 0.13 (0.09–0.2) | 0.978 |
| Monounsaturated fatty acids | 12.2 (11.6–12.8) | 12.7 (12.1–13.4) | 12.4 (11.8–13.0) | 12.2 (11.7–12.8) | 12.3 (11.7–12.9) | 12.5 (12.0–13.2) | 0.551 |
| Palmitooleic acid (16:1n7) | 0.16 (0.11–0.21) | 0.15 (0.10–0.21) | 0.5 (0.36–0.60)*** | 0.13 (0.09–0.18) | 0.10 (0.06–0.14) | 0.22 (0.16–0.29)*** | 0.081 |
| Oleic acid (18:1n9) | 10.3 (9.8–10.8) | 10.3 (9.8–10.8) | 10.1 (9.7–10.7) | 9.9 (9.4–10.3) | 10.0 (9.5–10.5) | 10.4 (10.0–11.0) | 0.304 |
| Vaccenic acid (18:1n7) | 1.4 (1.3–1.5) | 1.6 (1.5–1.7) | 1.4 (1.3–1.5) | 1.7 (1.5–1.8) | 1.7 (1.5–1.8) | 1.7 (1.5–1.8) | 0.216 |
| Gondoic acid (20:1n9) | 0.16 (0.11–0.21) | 0.47 (0.34–0.64)*** | 0.06 (0.05–0.09)*** | 0.30 (0.22–0.41) | 0.44 (0.32–0.60) | 0.14 (0.11–0.20)*** | 0.016 |
| N3 polyunsaturated fatty acids | 14.1 (13.1–15.2) | 14.0 (13.1–15.1) | 11.7 (11.1–12.4)*** | 13.6 (12.8–14.6) | 15.2 (14.1–16.5) | 13.3 (12.5–14.2) | 0.034 |
| α-Linolenic acid (18:3n3) | 0.22 (0.12–0.31) | 0.15 (0.05–0.24) | 0.1 (0.05–0.2) | 0.15 (0.05–0.26) | 0.13 (0.04–0.23) | 0.14 (0.03–0.23) | 0.256 |
| Eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n3) | 1.0 (0.7–1.3) | 0.8 (0.5–1.0) | 1.1 (0.8–1.4) | 0.6 (0.4–0.8) | 1.2 (0.9–1.5)** | 1.5 (1.2–1.9) | 0.002 |
| Docosapentaenic acid (22:5n3) | 1.6 (1.3–1.9) | 1.6 (1.3–1.9) | 1.5 (1.3–1.8) | 1.7 (1.4–2.0) | 2.3 (1.9–2.9)* | 1.5 (1.3–1.8)** | 0.121 |
| Docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n3) | 6.0 (4.9–7.2) | 5.6 (4.5–6.8) | 2.3 (1.7–3.1)*** | 5.1 (4.1–6.2) | 4.7 (3.7–5.7) | 4.6 (3.7–5.7) | <0.001 |
| N6 polyunsaturated fatty acids | 50.9 (49.3–52.6) | 52.3 (50.6–54.2) | 46.1 (44.7–47.6)*** | 52.6 (51.0–54.4) | 51.7 (50.0–53.5) | 49.3 (47.8–50.8) | 0.059 |
| Linoleic acid (18:2n6) | 21.7 (20.7–22.5)* | 23.5 (22.5–24.5) | 23.3 (22.2–24.3) | 22.6 (21.6–23.6) | 20.6 (19.5–21.6)* | 21.5 (20.5–22.5) | <0.001 |
| γ-Linolenic acid (18:3n6) | 0.2 (0.17–0.25) | 0.2 (0.17–0.24) | 0.2 (0.17–0.24) | 0.15 (0.12–0.18) | 0.09 (0.07–0.12)* | 0.15 (0.12–0.18) | 0.067 |
| Eicosadienoic acid (20:2n6) | 0.61 (0.54–0.69) | 0.71 (0.62–0.81) | 0.52 (0.46–0.59)** | 0.64 (0.56–0.72) | 0.77 (0.68–0.88) | 0.58 (0.51–0.66)** | 0.889 |
| Dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (20:3n6) | 5.3 (4.8–5.9) | 5.4 (4.8–6.0) | 4.3 (4.0–4.8)** | 5.1 (4.7–5.7) | 4.7 (4.3–5.2) | 4.7 (4.3–5.2) | 0.131 |
| Arachidonic acid (20:4n6) | 16.3 (15.0–17.6) | 15.5 (14.2–16.8) | 11.5 (10.4–12.6)*** | 17.6 (16.3–18.9) | 17.9 (16.5–19.3) | 15.9 (14.7–17.2) | 0.027 |
| Eicosatetraenoic acid (22:4 n6) | 0.3 (0.25–0.36) | 0.27 (0.22–0.32) | 0.18 (0.15–0.22)** | 0.26 (0.22–0.31) | 0.26 (0.22–0.31) | 0.25 (0.21–0.3) | 0.036 |
| The ratio of n6 to n3 | 11.5 (11.0–12.1) | 11.7 (11.1–12.3) | 13.0 (12.4–13.7)*** | 11.9 (11.3–12.5) | 11.0 (10.5–11.6) | 11.9 (11.4–12.6) | 0.067 |
| The ratio of saturated to unsaturated FA | 0.51 (0.46–0.56) | 0.49 (0.43–0.54) | 0.7 (0.65–0.76)*** | 0.49 (0.44–0.54) | 0.47 (0.41–0.52) | 0.57 (0.52–0.62) | 0.056 |
| Elongase (the ratio of 18:00 to 16:00) | 7.0 (6.8–7.3) | 7.1 (6.9–7.4) | 6.5 (6.4–6.6)** | 7.1 (6.9–7.3) | 7.2 (7.0–7.6) | 6.7 (6.6–6.9)** | 0.12 |
| Δ6 desaturase (the ratio of 18:3n6 to 18:2n6 ) | 3.1 (2.9–3.4) | 3.0 (2.8–3.2) | 2.9 (2.7–3.1) | 3.2 (2.9–3.3) | 3.3 (3.0–3.5) | 3.2 (3.0–3.4) | 0.127 |
| Δ5 desaturase (the ratio of 20:4n6 to 20:3n6 ) | 0.009 (0.008–0.01) | 0.009 (0.007–0.01) | 0.009 (0.007–0.01) | 0.007 (0.005–0.009) | 0.005 (0.003–0.006) | 0.007 (0.005–0.009) | 0.161 |
| Δ9 desaturase (the ratio of 16:1n7 to 16:00 ) | 0.52 (0.51–0.53) | 0.52 (0.51–0.52) | 0.55 (0.54–0.56)** | 0.51 (0.5–0.52) | 0.5 (0.49–0.51) | 0.52 (0.51–0.53)* | 0.14 |
Data are means±95% confidence intervals. Listed P-values are from analysis of variance (ANOVA) for interaction between group (vegetarian and control group) and time (0,12 and 24 weeks). Significant changes from baseline to 12 weeks and from 12 to 24 weeks are indicated by * for P<0.05, ** for P<0.01 and *** for P<0.001.