Ratios of serum eicosapentaenoic acid to arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid to arachidonic acid were inversely associated with serum resistin levels: The Hisayama Study

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: Resistin is an adipocyte‐derived polypeptide that leads to the progression of insulin resistance and subsequent atherosclerosis. Some studies have reported an association between self‐reported intake of n−3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and serum resistin levels. However, no studies have investigated the association between the ratio of serum levels of n−3 to serum n−6 PUFAs and the serum resistin concentration in the general population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We carried out a cross‐sectional study of 3,200 community‐dwelling Japanese individuals aged ≥40 years in 2002–2003. The ratios of serum eicosapentaenoic acid or docosahexaenoic acid to arachidonic acid (AA) were categorized into quartiles. The associations of serum eicosapentaenoic acid/AA and docosahexaenoic acid/AA with the serum resistin concentration were assessed using linear regression models with adjustment for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: The geometric mean of serum resistin was 10.3 ng/mL. The age‐ and sex‐adjusted geometric mean of serum resistin decreased significantly with increased levels of serum eicosapentaenoic acid/AA (quartile 1: 11.3 ng/mL; quartile 2: 10.6 ng/mL; quartile 3: 10.3 ng/mL; quartile 4: 9.3 ng/mL; P for trend <0.001). A similar association was observed for serum docosahexaenoic acid/AA (quartile 1: 11.1 ng/mL; quartile 2: 10.6 ng/mL; quartile 3: 10.1 ng/mL; quartile 4: 9.7 ng/mL; P for trend <0.001). An adjustment for potential confounding factors did not change these associations. CONCLUSIONS: Higher ratios of serum n−3 to n−6 PUFAs were associated with lower serum resistin levels. Consumption of a large amount of n−3 PUFAs might have desirable effects on resistin‐mediated diseases.