Relationships between body composition, lipid metabolism, and platelet fatty acid profiles in women with anorexia nervosa: a cross-sectional study.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with marked alterations in body composition and metabolism. However, the relationships between these changes, lipid metabolism, inflammation, and fatty acid (FA) profiles remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to investigate these associations in women with AN. In this cross-sectional case-control study 24 women with AN and 45 healthy controls were included. Body composition was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and serum lipid profile, inflammatory, oxidative stress markers, and platelet membrane FA composition were analyzed. Women with AN showed significantly reduced total and regional lean and fat mass, with most (91.7%) presenting fat deficit. Total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were higher, whereas C-reactive protein levels were lower in women with AN, with no differences observed in oxidative stress markers. Platelet FA analysis revealed lower saturated and higher monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Particularly omega-6 fatty acids were elevated, and strongly positively correlated with malondialdehyde in women with AN. Study findings suggest that AN is associated with differences in body composition, lipid metabolism, and FA profiles, which may suggest changes linked to proinflammatory pathways. However, given the lack of differences in inflammatory and oxidative stress markers, these findings should be interpreted with caution.