trans-Palmitoleic acid, other dairy fat biomarkers, and incident diabetes: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Apr;97(4):854-61. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.112.045468. Epub 2013 Feb 13.

Abstract

Background: Dairy consumption is linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, but constituents responsible for this relation are not established. Emerging evidence suggests that trans-palmitoleate (trans 16:1n-7), a fatty acid in dairy and also partially hydrogenated oils, may be associated with a more favorable metabolic profile and less incident diabetes.

Objective: We investigated the association of trans-palmitoleate with metabolic risk and incident diabetes in a multiethnic US cohort.

Design: Phospholipid fatty acids and metabolic risk factors were measured in 2000-2002 among 2617 adults in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), a cohort of white, black, Hispanic, and Chinese Americans. In 2281 participants free of baseline diabetes, we also prospectively assessed the risk of new-onset diabetes (205 cases) from baseline to 2005-2007.

Results: trans-Palmitoleate concentrations correlated positively with self-reported consumption of whole-fat dairy, butter, margarine, and baked desserts and with other circulating biomarkers of both dairy fat and partially hydrogenated oil consumption, which suggested mixed dietary sources. After multivariable adjustment, trans-palmitoleate concentrations were associated with higher LDL cholesterol (quintile 5 compared with quintile 1: +6.4%; P-trend = 0.005), lower triglycerides (-19.1%; P-trend < 0.001), lower fasting insulin (-9.1%; P-trend = 0.002), and lower systolic blood pressure (-2.4 mm Hg; P-trend = 0.01). In prospective analyses, trans-palmitoleate was independently associated with lower incident diabetes (P-trend = 0.02), including a 48% lower risk in quintile 5 compared with quintile 1 (HR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.32, 0.85). All findings were similar between men and women and between different race-ethnic subgroups.

Conclusions: Circulating trans-palmitoleate is associated with higher LDL cholesterol but also with lower triglycerides, fasting insulin, blood pressure, and incident diabetes in a multiethnic US cohort. Our findings support the need for further experimental and dietary intervention studies that target circulating trans-palmitoleate. The MESA trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00005487.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Atherosclerosis
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Blood Pressure*
  • Cholesterol, LDL / blood
  • Dairy Products*
  • Diabetes Mellitus / blood
  • Diabetes Mellitus / prevention & control*
  • Diet
  • Dietary Fats / adverse effects
  • Dietary Fats / blood
  • Dietary Fats / pharmacology*
  • Dietary Fats / therapeutic use
  • Ethnicity
  • Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / adverse effects
  • Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / blood
  • Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / pharmacology*
  • Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydrogenation
  • Insulin / blood*
  • Lipids / blood*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Phospholipids / metabolism
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Trans Fatty Acids / adverse effects
  • Trans Fatty Acids / blood
  • Trans Fatty Acids / pharmacology
  • Trans Fatty Acids / therapeutic use
  • Triglycerides / blood
  • United States

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Cholesterol, LDL
  • Dietary Fats
  • Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated
  • Insulin
  • Lipids
  • Phospholipids
  • Trans Fatty Acids
  • Triglycerides
  • palmitoleic acid

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT00005487