Key result
Higher saturated fatty acids linked to ~23% greater adult-onset asthma risk, whereas PUFAs lower risk.
Why the study?
The role of fatty acids in adult-onset asthma remains unclear, with limited evidence from large-scale epidemiological studies evaluating circulating fatty acid levels and incident adult-onset asthma risk.
Are circulating fatty acid levels associated with the risk of incident adult-onset asthma in adults without prior asthma?
Cohort (n=240,955)
Are circulating fatty acid levels associated with the risk of incident adult-onset asthma in adults without prior asthma?
Higher levels of saturated and mono-unsaturated fatty acids are associated with an increased risk of adult-onset asthma, while poly-unsaturated fatty acids appear protective.
Plasma fatty acid profiles may associate with adult-onset asthma risk; leaves open causal effects and need for trials.
Background The role of fatty acids in adult-onset asthma remains unclear. Limited evidence from large-scale epidemiological studies exists regarding the relationship between circulating fatty acid levels and risk of adult-onset asthma. This study aimed to investigate the link between primary types of circulating fatty acids and incidents of adult-onset asthma. Methods We analyzed data from 240,955 participants with baseline NMR-based plasma fatty acids data and no history of asthma from the UK Biobank. Hazard ratios (HR) for major circulating fatty acids concerning adult-onset asthma risk were estimated using multivariate Cox regression models. Results In the multivariable-adjusted model, plasma levels of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) were identified positively associated with risk of incident adult-onset asthma [HRQ4VSQ1:1.232 (95% confidence interval [CI]:1.164-1.303) and 1.416 (95% CI:1.334-1.503), respectively], whereas plasma levels of poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), n-6 and n-3 PUFAs were negatively associated with this outcome [HRQ4VSQ1:0.683 (95% CI: 0.644-0.724), 0.756 (95% CI: 0.713-0.802) and 0.762 (95% CI: 0.719-0.808), respectively]. Additionally, the n-6/n-3 PUFAs ratio was positively correlated with the risk of developing adult-onset asthma [HRQ4VSQ1:1.187 (95% CI: 1.120-1.258)]. The MUFAs and PUFAs association with adult-onset asthma risk was stronger in low genetic risk populations than in high-risk ones. Mediation analysis indicated that blood inflammatory markers could mediate 3-15% of these associations. Conclusions The research offers further prospective insights into the association between plasma fatty acids and adult-onset asthma, revealing that higher levels of SFAs, MUFAs, and the n-6/n-3 ratio are connected with an elevated risk, whereas higher levels of PUFAs, n-6 PUFAs, and n-3 PUFAs appear to exert a protective effect. These associations may have been partially mediated by inflammation.
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Lin et al. (2026) conducted a cohort in Adult-onset asthma (n=240,955). Circulating fatty acids vs. Lowest quartile (Q1) was evaluated on Incident adult-onset asthma (HR 1.232, 95% CI 1.164-1.303). Higher plasma levels of saturated fatty acids were associated with an increased risk of incident adult-onset asthma (HR 1.232; 95% CI 1.164-1.303), whereas poly-unsaturated fatty acids lowered risk.
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