MRI assessment of adipose tissue fatty acid composition in the UK Biobank and its association with diet and disease

Abstract

AbstractObjectivesThis study aimed to assess the fatty acid (FA) composition of abdominal subcutaneous (ASAT) and visceral (VAT) adipose tissue in the UK Biobank imaging cohort (N = 33,823) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).MethodsWe measured the fractions of saturated (fSFA), monounsaturated (fMUFA), and polyunsaturated (fPUFA) in ASAT and VAT from multi-echo MRI scans. We selected a sub-cohort that followed a vegan and an omnivore diet (N=36) to validate the effect of diet on adipose tissue. In the wider imaging cohort, we examined the relationship between adipose tissue FA composition and various traits related to disease and body size.ResultsWe measured adipose tissue FA composition for over 33,000 participants, revealing higher fSFA and fPUFA and lower fMUFA in VAT (p < 0.00016). fMUFA and fPUFA were higher in ASAT and lower in VAT for women (p<0.00016). Vegans exhibited lower fSFA in both ASAT and VAT (p < 0.00016). VAT fSFA and fMUFA showed significant associations with disease as well as anthropometric variables.DiscussionThis extensive analysis revealed the relationships between adipose tissue FA composition and a range of factors in a diverse population, highlighting the importance of studying body adipose tissue beyond its quantity.Study importanceWhat is already known?The fatty acid (FA) composition of adipose tissue is an independent risk factor for hypertension, type-2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease.There has yet to be a large-scale population study of adipose tissue FA composition, principally due to the invasive nature of available methods.What does the study add?We show that MRI-based methods can be readily applied across a large population (n=33,823) while confirming and expanding on the associations between dietary patterns and FA composition in both abdominal subcutaneous (ASAT) and visceral (VAT) adipose tissue.Models involving saturated and monounsaturated FA composition in VAT demonstrate significant association with disease outcomes, anthropometric variables, dietary macronutrient intake and physical activity.How might these results change the direction of research or the focus of clinical practice?Our findings highlight the importance of evaluating adipose tissue composition and its relationship with dietary and disease traits.These insights will contribute to formulating more informed lifestyle recommendations to alleviate or even reverse metabolic conditions associated with obesity.