Background

Recent studies indicated that dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) increase circulating adiponectin concentrations in rodents.

Objective

We aimed to investigate whether a diet rich in n-3 PUFAs increased plasma concentrations of total or high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin in healthy overweight-to-moderately obese men and women.

Design

Sixteen women and 10 men with a body mass index (in kg/m(2)) between 28 and 33 were randomly assigned to consume a diet rich in n-3 PUFAs (3.5% of energy intake) from both plant and marine sources or a control diet (0.5% of energy intake from n-3 PUFAs). For the first 2 wk, these diets were consumed under isocaloric conditions; then followed a 12-wk period of ad libitum consumption that was associated with a moderate loss of approximately 3.5% of body weight in both groups. Total and HMW adiponectin plasma concentrations were measured before and after each diet phase.

Results

Plasma fasting adiponectin concentrations did not change during the isocaloric period, but they increased modestly ( approximately 10%) during the ad libitum period when subjects lost weight [P = 0.009 for time in repeated-measures analysis of variance] and to a similar extent in subjects consuming the control (x +/- SD: 0.42 +/- 0.69 microg/mL) and n-3 PUFA (0.45 +/- 0.85 microg/mL) diets (P = 0.920 for time x treatment interaction). Plasma concentrations of HMW adiponectin did not change significantly during the study.

Conclusion

Dietary n-3 PUFAs consumed at levels of 3.5% of energy intake do not significantly increase plasma or HMW adiponectin concentrations in overweight-to-moderately obese healthy men and women over the course of 14 wk.