Relationship Between Circulating Serum Fatty Acids and Type 2 Diabetes Risk: An Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2012 Study
- 1Department of Home Economics, Faculty of Specific Education, University of Ain Shams, Cairo, Egypt
- 2DSM Nutritional Products Inc Columbia, USA
Abstract
Background: While certain metabolic indicators serve as effective predictors for type 2 diabetes (T2D), evidence regarding the role of polyunsaturated fatty acids (including n-3 and n-6) remains inconsistent. Objective(s): This study aims to explore the relationship between blood levels of unsaturated and saturated fatty acids and T2D risk. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2012. A total of 1172 participants were included in this study. Results: After adjusting of all the variables, a positive correlation was observed between α-linolenic acid (18:3 n-3), eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5 n-3), and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 n-3) with T2D risk (OR in quintile3, (18:3 n-3): OR = 8.989, 95% CI: 1.536-52.611; (22:6 n3): OR = 7.626, 95% CI: 1.551-37.500; OR in quintile4: (20:5n-3): OR = 15.855, 95% CI: 3.203-78.482). For n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (20:3 n-6) and docosapentaenoic-6 acid (22:5 n6) were associated with decreased T2D risk. The monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) cis-vaccenic acid (18:1 n-7) and nervonic acid (24:1 n9) were associated with higher risk of T2D (18:1 n7): OR = 9.784, 95% CI: 1.688-56.705; (24:1n9): OR = 10.295, 95% CI: 1.505-70.411). For saturated fatty acids (SFA), arachidic acid (20:0), behenic acid (22:0), and lignoceric acid (24:0) were found to be associated with a greater risk of developing T2D risk. Conclusion: Circulating fatty acid species showed differential relationship with T2D risk. Given the observational design, this relationship should be interpreted cautiously and confirmed in prospective and mechanistic studies.
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BibTeX
@article{hussein2026relationship,
title = {{Relationship Between Circulating Serum Fatty Acids and Type 2 Diabetes Risk: An Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2012 Study}},
author = {Nahed Hussein and Norman Salem},
journal = {Journal of High Institute of Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.21608/jhiph.2026.479577.1221},
url = {https://doi.org/10.21608/jhiph.2026.479577.1221},
note = {CC BY-SA},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Relationship Between Circulating Serum Fatty Acids and Type 2 Diabetes Risk: An Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2012 Study
AU - Nahed Hussein
AU - Norman Salem
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/01
JO - Journal of High Institute of Public Health
DO - 10.21608/jhiph.2026.479577.1221
UR - https://doi.org/10.21608/jhiph.2026.479577.1221
AB - Background: While certain metabolic indicators serve as effective predictors for type 2 diabetes (T2D), evidence regarding the role of polyunsaturated fatty acids (including n-3 and n-6) remains inconsistent. Objective(s): This study aims to explore the relationship between blood levels of unsaturated and saturated fatty acids and T2D risk. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2012. A total of 1172 participants were included in this study. Results: After adjusting of all the variables, a positive correlation was observed between α-linolenic acid (18:3 n-3), eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5 n-3), and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 n-3) with T2D risk (OR in quintile3, (18:3 n-3): OR = 8.989, 95% CI: 1.536-52.611; (22:6 n3): OR = 7.626, 95% CI: 1.551-37.500; OR in quintile4: (20:5n-3): OR = 15.855, 95% CI: 3.203-78.482). For n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (20:3 n-6) and docosapentaenoic-6 acid (22:5 n6) were associated with decreased T2D risk. The monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) cis-vaccenic acid (18:1 n-7) and nervonic acid (24:1 n9) were associated with higher risk of T2D (18:1 n7): OR = 9.784, 95% CI: 1.688-56.705; (24:1n9): OR = 10.295, 95% CI: 1.505-70.411). For saturated fatty acids (SFA), arachidic acid (20:0), behenic acid (22:0), and lignoceric acid (24:0) were found to be associated with a greater risk of developing T2D risk. Conclusion: Circulating fatty acid species showed differential relationship with T2D risk. Given the observational design, this relationship should be interpreted cautiously and confirmed in prospective and mechanistic studies.
SN - 2357-0601
SN - 2357-061X
ER -