Dietary fatty acids are actively incorporated into membrane lipids, and fat intake can modify the composition and the biochemical activity of cellular membranes and the pattern of plasma lipoproteins. Industrial hydrogenation of polyunsaturated oils leads to the formation of isomeric trans fatty acids which are incorporated into cellular membranes when they are present in the diet. The trans fatty acid amount present in hydrogenated oils depends on the degree of hydrogenation, being high for partially hydrogenated oils and low for highly hydrogenated oils. Hydrogenated fish oil is widely used in some countries for the production of margarine and industrial fats. This study compares the fatty acid composition of plasma, erythrocytes, subcutaneous adipose tissue, and hepatic microsomal membranes and the plasma lipoprotein profile after feeding rats with a synthetic diet containing either fish oil, partially hydrogenated fish oil, or highly hydrogenated fish oil. It is observed that the tissue content of monounsaturated fatty acids increases and that the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids decreases after an increase of the degree of hydrogenation of the dietary fat. Tissues from animals fed partially hydrogenated fish oil show significant amounts of trans fatty acids only. The plasma triacylglyceride composition and the lipoprotein profile are also altered by the degree of hydrogenation of the dietary fat. Triacylglycerides decrease after highly hydrogenated fat feeding only. Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol are significantly increased after partially hydrogenated fat feeding. Although no direct evidence is presented, this effect may be attributable to the high content of trans isomers of this dietary fat which nutritionally may behave as saturated fatty acids.
Association between motherhood postponement and socioeconomic statusBackground: Delayed motherhood is a common phenomenon in the developed world, where the age at first delivery is around 30 years. In Chile the National Institute of Statistics established that this age has remained around 23 years for more than two decades. Motherhood postponement may be modulated by socioeconomic status. Aim: To determine whether the age at first delivery is higher in a private clinic compared to a public hospital.
The degree of fat hydrogenation and the trans fatty acid content of the diet affect the fatty acid composition of membranes, and the amount and the activity of some membrane enzymes. We describe the effects of four isocaloric diets containing either sunflower oil (SO, 0% trans), fish oil (FO, 0.5% trans), partially hydrogenated fish oil (PHFO, 30% trans), or highly hydrogenated fish oil (HHFO, 3.6% trans) as fat sources on the lipid composition and the trans fatty acid content of rat hepatic microsomes. We also describe the effect of these diets on the cytochrome P-450 content and on the aminopyrine N-demethylase, aniline hydroxylase, and UDP-glucuronyl transferase microsomal activities. Cytochrome P-450 content was dependent on the degree of unsaturation of the diet, being higher for the FO-containing diet and lower for the HHFO diet. Aminopyrine N-demethylase activity also correlated with the degree of unsaturation of the diet as did the cytochrome P-450 content did (FO > SO > PHFO > HHFO). Aniline hydroxylase activity appeared to be independent of the degree of unsaturation of the dietary fat, but correlated with the trans fatty acid content of the diet, which was also reflected in the trans content of the microsomal membranes. UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity was higher for the FO-containing diet than for the SO diet, showing intermediate values after the PHFO and HHFO diets.
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