Background: Consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) improves the lipid metabolism of diabetics, leading to prevents of arteriosclerosis. Exact relationship between saturated fatty acids (SFA) or PUFA and the insulin resistance of diabetics are unknown.

Subjects and Methods: We investigated the relationship between the serum concentrations of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids and the homeostasis model insulin resistance index (HOMA-R) in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Results: The SFA, ie, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid; the monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), ie, palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, and erucic acid; and the PUFA, ie, eicosadienoic acid, dihomo-γ-linolenic acid, docosatetraenoic acid, and docosapentaenoic acid were positively correlated with HOMA-R. However, no correlations were found between HOMA-R and SFA, ie, arachidic acid, behenic acid, and lignoceric acid; the MUFA, ie, eicosenoic acid and nervonic acid; and the PUFA, ie, linoleic acid, γ-linolenic acid, linolenic acid, 5-8-11 eicosatrienoic acid, arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid.

Conclusions: Some PUFA as well as SFA were positively correlated with HOMA-R. These results indicate that the intake of diet fatty acid must be well balanced in diabetic patients and it is not always true to refrain from taking SFA and increase the unsaturated fatty acids in their diets. J. Med. Invest. 54: 243-247, August, 2007