Higher content of trans fatty acids in abdominal visceral fat of morbidly obese individuals undergoing bariatric surgery compared to non-obese subjects

The purpose of this study was to determine the total content of trans fatty acids (TFA) in subcutaneous, retroperitoneal and visceral fat of morbidly obese and non-obese patients submitted to bariatric surgery or plastic and abdominal surgery. The adipose tissues were obtained by surgery; lipids were extracted, saponified and esterified. TFA were measured by FTIR-ATR spectroscopy. The TFA average in obese patients was 6.3% for retroperitoneal and 8.7% for visceral fat. For non-obese patients, the figures were 6.9% (subcutaneous) and 9.3% (visceral). There was no difference between the groups. However, the TFA depot in visceral fat was higher than other fatty tissues for morbidly obese (P