Fasting whole blood fatty acid profile and risk of type 2 diabetes in adults: a nested case control study.

OBJECTIVE: to determine the association of fasting whole blood fatty acid concentrations with incidence of type 2 diabetes in adults. METHODS: A nested case-control study of 187 subjects from a cohort of men and women aged 55-85 years from the Hunter Region, New South Wales, Australia. Fasting whole blood fatty acids were measured using gas chromatography and incidence of type 2 diabetes was ascertained by self-reported questionnaire at the study follow-up. RESULTS: After adjustment for potential confounding variables, positive associations with type 2 diabetes were seen for dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) (OR = 1.04, 95% CI:1.01-1.07, P = 0.01); arachidonic acid (ARA) (OR = 1.01, 95% CI:1.00-1.01, P = 0.002); alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) (OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.03-1.18, P = 0.01); eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (OR = 1.05, 95% CI:1.02-1.08, P = 0.001); and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (OR = 1.03, 95% CI:1.02-1.05, P